UCLA
Washington
No. 4 Bruins Defeat Huskies, 4-1
March 11, 2018 | Men's Tennis
SEATTLE โ The No. 4 UCLA men's tennis team bounced back from its first lost doubles point in eight matches to defeat Washington, 4-1, at Bill Quillian Tennis Stadium. The win improved the Bruins' record to 15-2 and 2-0 in Pac-12 play. Washington dropped to 8-7, 0-2.
No. 62 Logan Staggs clinched the match with a three-set win over the Huskies' Amit Batta on Court 4. With Courts 1 and 2 also locked in three-setters, Staggs finished the job after coming out victorious in a third-set tiebreaker.
"He's our captain and his nickname is 'The Clincher' after last year and sure enough he came through againโlike he did in the Indoors," UCLA head coach Billy Martin said. "He's generally really good under pressure. I was so happy to see him come to our rescue after a tough loss in Oregon."
The match got off to a rocky start for the Bruins, who failed to win a doubles match for the first time since Feb. 4. The Huskies' top-court team of Kawika Lam-Enzo Sommer got things started with a 6-4 victory over Martin Redlicki-Evan Zhu, setting the hosts up to collect the first point of the day. Jack Davis-Jake Douglas followed through on Court 3, defeating Maxime Cressy-Bryce Pereira by an identical 6-4 score.
"We just looked really flat," Martin lamented. "Washington came out with a lot of energy. We weren't moving well. Very disappointed with the doubles, but it's never easy on the roadโespecially the second one. Traveling from Eugene up to Seattle yesterday was not an easy trip for us."
Smith responded in a major way for the Bruins, dispatching Enzo Sommer in a hurry on Court 3, 6-0, 6-2. Cressy had a rough go of it in his opening set with Piers Foley of the Huskies on Court 5, but eked out a 7-4 tiebreaker win before cruising to a 6-0 second-set victory and the Bruins' second point of the day. Connor Hance followed suit with a straight-set win of his own, 6-2, 6-4 over Alexis Alvarez on Court 6, putting the Bruins a point away from victory.
Staggs, who dropped his first set against Batta, 3-6, rebounded with a 6-2 second-set victory to set up a decisive third set. The Bruin veteran moved out to a 5-3 advantage, but quickly saw the sophomore come back to tie at 5-all and eventually force the tiebreaker. Staggs lived up to his nickname, though, clinching the match and sending the Bruins home with an unblemished first Pac-12 trip.
"We responded really well in singles," Martin said. "Really proud of the guys to shake it off and do their job and get four points in the singles."
Next up for the Bruins is a home nonconference match with No. 15 Oklahoma on Thursday, March 15. Play from Los Angeles Tennis Center will begin at 1 p.m.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Washington
March 11, 2018 at Seattle, WA
(Bill Quillian Tennis Stadium)
#4 UCLA 4, Washington 1
Singles competition
1. #3 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) vs. #86 Jake Douglas (UW) 6-7(5), 6-2, 5-6, unfinished
2. #117 Evan Zhu (UCLA) vs. #73 Mitch Stewart (UW) 5-7, 6-4, 4-2, unfinished
3. #58 Keegan Smith (UCLA) def. Enzo Sommer (UW) 6-0, 6-2
4. #62 Logan Staggs (UCLA) def. Amit Batta (UW) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(5)
5. Maxime Cressy (UCLA) def. Piers Foley (UW) 7-6(4), 6-0
6. Connor Hance (UCLA) def. Alexis Alvarez (UW) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Kawika Lam/Enzo Sommer (UW) def. Martin Redlicki/Evan Zhu (UCLA) 6-4
2. #24 Austin Rapp/Keegan Smith (UCLA) vs. Piers Foley/Mitch Stewart (UW) 6-6, unfinished
3. Jack Davis/Jake Douglas (UW) def. Maxime Cressy/Bryce Pereira (UCLA) 6-4
Match Notes:
UCLA 15-2, 2-0; National ranking #4
Washington 8-7, 0-2
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,5,6,4)
Players Mentioned
