Since winning its season opener against CSU San Bernardino on Feb. 1, the UCSD women’s tennis team has won three-consecutive meets. Their most recent win against Claremont College raises their season record to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
On Feb. 4, the Tritons won an exhibition match against Alliant International University. Alliant competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics so the game did not affect the ranking of either team in their respective divisions. With a mostly inexperienced team, it was important for the Tritons to play Alliant to learn and to challenge themselves.
“”The team still wants to play and do really well,”” said Katie Murray, one of the seven new players on the team. “”We went out there and played just as hard as if it had been a real game.””
The No. 2 doubles team of Jasmin Dao and Tara Siddiqui and the No. 4 team of Allison Ishii and Marissa Hilker both won their matches 8-0. The No. 3 doubles team of Kristina Jansen and Leigh Roberts won 8-4. The No. 1 team of Julie Westerman and Jenna Ishii, who were at one time down 1-4, did not let Alliant win easily. The Tritons won one out of every two of the following sets, the final score ending at 4-8. UCSD won by default.
“”We officially got four defaults,”” said UCSD head coach Liz LaPlante. “”Two of their ineligible players are just off the pro tour … and 26 years old. So our team was playing a whole different level.””
In the singles matches, Dao (0-6, 1-6) and Westerman (1-6, 1-6) won by default. Roberts, whose opponent also defaulted, won her sets 6-0, 6-2. With Jansen (6-0, 6-1), Siddiqui (6-2, 6-1) and Hilker (6-4, 6-2) winning their games, the final score was 9-0 in favor of UCSD.
Next, UCSD traveled to play Point Loma Nazarene University on Feb. 6. The No. 1 Doubles team of Westerman and Jenna Ishii won their match 8-2. Team No. 2 of Siddiqui and Hilker won 8-6 and team No. 3, Jansen and Allison Ishii, won 8-6.
The Point Loma singles put up a fight, though. Westerman, Jansen, Siddiqui and Hilker’s matches all went three sets before each prevailed. Hilker split the first two sets 6-2, 6-7 and then won the third set, and match, in a tiebreaker 10-7. Leigh Roberts and junior Sarah Bahlert won their matches 6-1, 6-2 and 6-0, 6-0, respectively.
On Feb. 8, the Tritons hosted Claremont College and won the meet 9-0.
UCSD doubles teams of Westerman and Jenna Ishii won 8-3, Jansen and Allison Ishii won 8-4, and Hilker and Roberts won 8-1. The No. 3 doubles team of Dao and Siddiqui played against Claremont counterparts Jirika Peterson and Kristen Handley. Both teams won eight sets and UCSD won the tiebreaker 7-5.
In the singles games, all the Tritons won their matches. Westerman (6-0, 6-2), Jansen (6-2, 6-1), Siddiqui (6-0, 6-0), Hilker (6-1, 6-3) and Roberts (6-1, 6-1) all finished their matches and cheered on Dao. Dao faced the toughest competition against Rebecca Duncan, rallying hard for almost every point. In the end, Dao prevailed 6-4, 6-2.
UCSD next plays Cal Poly Pomona on Feb. 20.
“”We need to get tougher in doubles,”” LaPlante said. “”[Pomona] has a very tough team this year. There will be real close matches.””