UCLA
California
Altick, UCLA Top Cal in Thriller
February 23, 2019 | Women's Tennis
BERKELEY, Calif. โ Abi Altick won a third-set tiebreaker in the day's final match to give No. 5 UCLA a 4-3 non-conference victory over No. 24 California Saturday at the Hellman Tennis Complex.
Altick was beaten convincingly in her first set with Anna Bright and trailed 4-1 in the second before mounting an improbable comeback. The Golden Bears (4-3) seized the doubles point on a tiebreaker, but singles wins by Altick, Alaina Miller, Elysia Bolton and Jada Hart turned the tide for the Bruins (7-1).
Just as soon as Cal's team of Anna Bright and Jasie Dunk earned a break on Court 2, the UCLA pair of Abi Altick and Alaina Miller notched one of its own. No. 23 Bright and Dunk would run off wins in five of the set's first six games against No. 14 Elysia Bolton-Jada Hart en route to a 6-2 victory, giving the Golden Bears momentum toward the day's first point. The dual-match loss marked just the second for Bolton-Hart.
No. 38 Altick-Miller led 3-0 on Court 3 before things began to change. The Cal duo of Olivia Hauger and Katerina Stloukalova eventually broke for a 5-4 advantage to put the Bruins on the brink of elimination. Altick-Miller returned the break and the pairs alternated the remaining games to set up a tiebreaker. The UCLA tandem came out on top of that one 7-4 to put the pressure firmly on Court 1.
Just as Court 3 finished its tiebreaker, Court 1 was entering one of its own. In another battle of two of the nation's best pairs, 28th-ranked Hana Mraz and Julia Rosenqvist of Cal proved victorious, knocking off No. 8 Gabby Andrews and Ayan Broomfield by a 7-3 score.
Each side took three first sets, putting the Bruins in a dicey spot with the doubles point already lost.
Miller pulled UCLA even with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Maria Smith on Court 5, as the senior controlled the match throughout. The Saratoga, Calif. native's weekend record improved to 4-0 across singles and doubles matches. She is 6-0 in singles dual matches.
In a top-20 matchup on Court 2, No. 11 Bolton handled No. 20 Hauger by an identical 6-3, 6-3 score. The senior Hauger represented Bolton's seventh triumph over a nationally-ranked opponent. She is 16-6 overall.
Mraz pulled the home team even again with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Bruin Taylor Johnson on Court 6.
The teams continued trading wins, as Jada Hart upset No. 45 Rosenqvist 6-4, 6-3 on the top court. It had been an unlucky start to the dual-match season for Hart, who had four unfinished matches and a three-set loss to the 16th-ranked player in the nation.
Katerina Stloukalova again pulled Cal even, dealing No. 112 Broomfield a 6-3, 7-5 loss to put all eyes on Court 4.
No. 69 Bright took nine of the first 11 games from Altick and looked well on her way to an early win. That was when Altick began her comeback, taking five of the next six games into a third set. The Bruin sophomore led 4-1 in the third set, but it was Bright's turn to bounce back. The Golden Bear pulled even and the opponents traded games until yet another tiebreaker was needed.
With Altick serving up 6-5, a 10-shot rally ended in a Bright backhand to the net and set off a celebration by the Bruins.
The Bruins return home Thursday, Feb. 28 to take on UC Santa Barbara. First serve from Los Angeles Tennis Center is set for 1:30 p.m. They will also host crosstown rival No. 17 USC in a non-conference match Friday, March 1 at LATC.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs California
2/23/2019 at Berkeley, CA
(Hellman Tennis Complex)
#5 UCLA 4, #24 California 3
Doubles competition
1. #28 Mraz/Rosenqvist (CAL) def. #8 Andrews/Broomfield (UCLA) 7-6(3)
2. #23 Bright/Dunk (CAL) def. #14 Bolton/Hartย (UCLA) 6-2
3. #38 Altick/Miller (UCLA) def. Hauger/Stloukalova (Cal) 7-6(4)
Singles competition
1. Jada Hart (UCLA) def. #45 Julia Rosenqvist (CAL) 6-4, 6-3
2. #11 Elysia Bolton (UCLA) def. #20 Olivia Hauger (CAL) 6-3, 6-3
3. Katerina Stloukalova (CAL) def. #112 Ayan Broomfield (UCLA) 6-3, 7-5
4. Abi Altick (UCLA) def. #69 Anna Bright (CAL), 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(5)
5. Alaina Miller (UCLA) def. Maria Smith (CAL) 6-3, 6-3
6. Hana Mraz (CAL) def. Taylor Johnson (UCLA) 6-3, 6-4
Match Notes:
UCLA 7-1; National ranking #5
California 4-3; National ranking #24
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,2,6,1,3,4)
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,3,1
#1 Singles Match
#2 Singles Match
#3 Singles Match
#4 Singles Match
#5 Singles Match
#6 Singles Match
Order of Finish:
5,2,6,1,3,4
Players Mentioned
