The UCLA women's tennis team will open the dual-match portion of its schedule Friday when UC Santa Barbara comes to campus. The match, scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m., will mark the first at Los Angeles Tennis Center (LATC) since 2016. The Bruins played their 2017 home matches at the Sunset Canyon Tennis Courts due to construction at the Mo Ostin Basketball Center. Last year, UCLA posted a 14-9 overall record, including a 7-3 Pac-12 mark. The Bruins also went 5-3 at home. Their season came to a close in the second round of the NCAA Championships, where they dropped a 4-1 decision to host Pepperdine at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.
UCLA vs. UC Santa Barbara
The Bruins hold a 33-0 all-time record against the Gauchos, including a pair of 4-0 wins last season. UCLA first took down UCSB in its home-opening doubleheader (Feb. 4), before topping them in the first round of the NCAA Championships (May 12) Gabby Andrews had a hand in clinching each doubles point against the Gauchos, first with Kristin Wiley and the second time alongside Alaina Miller. Ena Shibahara posted the match-clinching point the first time out with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Palina Dubavets, while Terri Fleming successfully put the Bruins into the second round of the NCAA Championships with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 win over Natalie Da Silveira on Court 2.
Who's Back?
UCLA returns its entire roster from the 2016-17 campaign, headlined by Shibahara. The sophomore was named an All-American in her first year and also garnered National and Regional Rookie of the Year, Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year and Pac-12 Newcomer/Freshman of the Year awards. The duo of Terri Fleming and Jada Hart, meanwhile, was named the Pac-12 Doubles Team of the Year. All three players also earned All-Pac-12 recognition (Shibahara - First Team; Hart - Second Team; Fleming - Honorable Mention). Andrews (10-10, 12-4), Miller (17-14, 16-10) and Wiley (10-17, 19-5) are also back, while Kelly Shaffer returns after redshirting in last season.
Who's New?
Freshmen Abi Altick (Monroe, La./K12 International Academy) and Sophie Bendetti (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Oaks Christian School) join the Bruins, as does Clemson transfer Ayan Broomfield, who will be eligible to play immediately as a junior. The Toronto, ON, Canada native reached a season-best No. 40 in the Oracle/ITA singles rankings last season and posted a 19-15 overall record. She also tallied an 11-11 dual-match mark, playing primarily on Court 1.
Fall Ball
Shibahara got the fall schedule started with a run to the final round of Oracle ITA Masters in September, where she finished as the runner-up in a talented field. At the Cal Fall Invitational later that month, Fleming defeated Altick for the ITA Blue singles championship, while Andrews and Wiley picked up the ITA Gold consolation title. Hart-Shibahara, meanwhile, was awarded the doubles consolation championship at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships and Andrews-Hart won the doubles title at the ITA Regional Championships. In November, Altick made a run to the final round of the Jack Kramer Collegiate Tournament, where she fell in three sets. The Bruins recently swept the singles (Shibahara) and doubles (Hart-Shibahara) titles at the Freeman Memorial Championships in Las Vegas.
UCLA in the ITA Rankings
The Bruins are slotted at No. 17 in the current Oracle/ITA National Team Rankings, released Jan. 17. Five Bruins found themselves listed in the Nov. 15 singles rankings: No. 16 Ena Shibahara, No. 46 Altick, No. 76 Miller, No. T100 Fleming and No. 119 Hart. The tandems of Hart-Shibahara (No. 7) and Andrews-Hart (No. 27) were recognized among the top doubles teams.
Sampras Webster Nears 400
UCLA head coach Stella Sampras Webster currently holds a career record of 397-152, placing her three victories short of the 400-win milestone. Already the winningest coach in program history, she has led the Bruins to two NCAA Championships in her 21 seasons. Her teams have also tallied four runner-up finishes. Prior to becoming head coach, Sampras Webster played four seasons at UCLA under predecessor Bill Zaima. Those teams recorded four straight NCAA top-three finishes, while she was named an All-American each of those seasons. Sampras Webster was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in October.