University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
UCLA
Cal Nike Invitational
Fleming Tops Altick in Cal Fall Invite Final
October 01, 2017 | Women's Tennis
LOS ANGELES โ Senior Terri Fleming started the 2017-18 fall season off strong, defeating freshman teammate Abi Altick Sunday in the Blue/top-flight singles final at the 2017 Cal Fall Invitational, 7-6 (10), 6-3. Three of the four semifinalists in the Blue bracket were Bruins, as junior Alaina Miller dispatched top-seeded Olivia Hauger of California before falling to Fleming. Seven UCLA players in all participated Berkeley, Calif.
The fourth-seeded Fleming edged Mariia Kozyreva of Saint Mary's in the opening round of the Blue singles tournament, 7-6 (4), 6-4, before registering two more straight-set wins to advance to the semifinal round. Miller had a much tougher go of it, dropping the first set each time out. After taking down her first two opponents, the unseeded Miller was pitted against Hauger on the top seed's home court. After once again dropping the opening frame, though, Miller fought back for the upset victory, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2, and a date with Fleming.
Fleming took the first set in the matchup, 6-3, before her UCLA teammate countered, 6-2, to force a third set. Miller ultimately ran out of steam, though, as 2016-17 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection Fleming advanced to the final with a 6-3 third-set win.
Making her UCLA debut, the sixth-seeded Altick topped Zeina El Tawil of Santa Clara in the opening round, 6-4, 7-5. The freshman also posted two upset wins along the way, 6-3, 7-5 over second-seeded Claudia Herrero of Nevada, and 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 against fifth-seeded Anna Bright of Cal, en route to the final.
The Bruins nearly swept the semifinal spots, as sophomore and third seed Jada Hart won two matches before falling to Bright in a tight quarterfinal match, 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-2. The main draw still resulted in an all-Bruin final, which Fleming captured in straight sets.
Also participating in singles action at Cal were senior Kristin Wiley, who defeated Gold first-round opponent Isabella von Ebbe of UC Davis, 7-5, 6-3, and freshman Sophie Bendetti, who, in the White singles consolation round, took Yuki Asami of Pacific to three sets before falling by a 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (3) score.
Doubles play resulted in two more Bruins being left as the last ones standing, as junior Gabby Andrews and Wiley collected three victories in the Gold consolation bracket. The final win came in an upset fashion, 8-3 over fourth-seeded Kristina Breisacher and Lani-Rae Green.
In the Blue bracket, the team of Hart and Miller won twice before falling to top-seeded and eventual champion Karla Popovic and Hauger of Cal in a close one, 8-7 (5). The duo of Altick and Fleming, meanwhile, defeated the Sacramento State pair of Ana Loaiza and Jenna Dorian, 8-3, before falling in the quarterfinal round.
Four Bruins Scheduled for Riviera/ITA All-American Championships
Two more Bruins are set to make their 2017-18 debuts, as junior Ayan Broomfield and sophomore Ena Shibahara will participate in the upcoming Riviera/ITA All-American Championships at Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Andrews and Hart round out the list of UCLA players in the field.
Shibahara, who reached the final round of last year's tournament before falling to Ohio State's Francesca Di Lorenzo, 6-4, 6-3, will look to take another step as an automatic qualifier. The doubles team of Hart and Shibahara also earned an automatic berth in the doubles tournament.
Competing in the qualifying singles rounds will be Clemson transfer Ayan Broomfield in her UCLA debut, as well as Hart. The doubles team of Andrews and Broomfield will look for a spot in the doubles tournament. Qualifying matches are set for Oct. 3-4.
Main draw matches will take place Oct. 5-8.
For updates, visit the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships event page and follow @uclawtennis on Twitter.
Players Mentioned
