Women's Tennis Wins 4-1 at Minnesota

Sunday, March 8

Minneapolis, Minn.

10:00 AM (PT)

UCLA

Minnesota

Ahmani Guichard (Photo: Laura Casadonte)

Women's Tennis Wins 4-1 at Minnesota

March 08, 2026 | Women's Tennis

Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS – The sixth-ranked UCLA women's tennis team earned a split on its opening Big Ten Conference road trip Sunday, beating Minnesota 4-1 at Baseline Tennis Center. Olivia Center and Bianca Fernandez delivered two-win days for UCLA.

Fernandez clinched the result in three sets. Ahmani Guichard joined Center and Fernandez in earning singles victories for the Bruins (7-3, 1-1, Big Ten). The Golden Gophers (9-6, 0-2) momentarily tied the overall score thanks to a win by Mia Liepert.

Playing together for the first time, Fernandez and Kayla Chung teamed to defeat Yinong Ma/Sofia Pinto 6-3 on the third doubles court. Then, with the ball in its court and staring down a deuce point, the 31st-ranked pair of Center and Kate Fakih held off Nora Knezevic/Arina Valitova 6-4 on Court 1. Center/Fakih has locked up three doubles points in 2026 and 12 overall.

UCLA carried momentum into singles play, claiming four first sets. The Gophers would pick up the next point, though, as Liepert got the best of No. 54 Crossley in a 6-4, 6-1 decision.

Guichard provided the answer on Court 4, logging her sixth singles victory in seven matches. The latest was a 6-3, 6-3 performance against Anlin Xie. Center followed by mirroring Guichard's line score versus Yinong Ma on Court 5. Center has won five out of her past six.

With the Bruins nearing wins on Courts 1 and 6, it was No. 108 Fernandez who sealed the deal on Court 3. Fernandez improved to 7-1 in dual singles play with her first clincher of the year, a 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 showing opposite Sofia Pinto.

UCLA continues Big Ten play Saturday against Ohio State. First serve from Los Angeles Tennis Center is scheduled for 12 p.m. PT. Penn State drops in the next day, with that one also set for a noon start.

Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Minnesota
3/8/2026 at Minneapolis, MN
(Baseline Tennis Center)

#6 UCLA 4, Minnesota 1

Singles competition
1. Aiva Schmitz (MINN) vs. #40 Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA) 6-4, 2-6, 3-5, unfinished
2. Mia Liepert (MINN) def. #54 Mayu Crossley (UCLA) 6-4, 6-1
3. #108 Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) def. Sofia Pinto (MINN) 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
4. Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) def. Anlin Xie (MINN) 6-3, 6-3
5. Olivia Center (UCLA) def. Yinong Ma (MINN) 6-3, 6-3
6. Nora Knezevic (MINN) vs. Kayla Chung (UCLA) 6-7 (5-7), 6-6 (3-5), unfinished

Doubles competition
1. #31 Olivia Center/Kate Fakih (UCLA) def. Nora Knezevic/Arina Valitova (MINN) 6-4
2. Mia Liepert/Anlin Xie (MINN) vs. Ahmani Guichard/Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA) 5-6, unfinished
3. Kayla Chung/Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) def. Yinong Ma/Sofia Pinto (MINN) 6-3

Match Notes:
UCLA 7-3; National ranking #6
Minnesota 9-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (2,4,5,3)