After a solid run to the second round of the NCAA National Tournament, the UCSD women’s tennis team will say farewell to seniors Sarah Bahlert, Julie Westerman and Kristina Jensen. Each played all four years with the Tritons. Westerman, who served on the Triton Athletic Council in the 2003-04 academic year, and Jensen, who was on the Athletic Council during the 2002-03 academic year, led the team as co-captains in the 2004 campaign.
“The seniors added a lot of maturity and experience to the team,” head coach Liz LaPlante said. The girls looked up to them for advice and were a great presence on the team.”
Bahlert, from Aragon High School in San Mateo, Calif., played a handful of matches during her span with the team. Plagued by tendonitis in her wrist and knee surgery during her freshman year, she continued to play with determination to prove herself to her teammates and LaPlante.
“Sarah was always there when we needed her,” LaPlante said. “She was always ready to play and gave everyone a match. She’s very competitive. Through her four years [as a Triton] she traveled with us a bit and was able to play a couple of matches earlier on.”
At No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles, Westerman will be greatly missed by her teammates in the 2005 season.
“Julie was a huge asset to the team,” LaPlante said. “She came in as a freshman having had played a couple of tournaments before then. She wasn’t even going to play college tennis when she first came, but she ended up trying out and played at No. 6 her freshman year.”
Westerman, dubbed the “Queen of Three-Set Matches” her freshman year, was known for being the decisive match-game player at No. 6 her first year. Being the decisive-match player and salvaging wins gave Westerman confidence through her four years and improved her game. The Los Angeles native served as team captain for two years and led her team, alternating between No. 1 and No. 2 singles these last two years.
“One of Julie’s most memorable moments was her first year at Regionals,” LaPlante said. “We were in Hawaii playing Hawaii-Pacific. The match came down to her singles match in the third set, and she beat a very strong girl on sheer determination. From then on we all knew we could always rely on her to win matches. She’s been a great leader and has added a lot of maturity and is well-liked by the team.”
Jensen came on to the team as a highly ranked player from Northern California. Through her four years on the team, she has ranged between the No. 3 and No. 6 singles positions. Jensen is known by her teammates for being a great team leader and incredibly friendly.
“Kristina is one of the nicest and friendliest girls I’ve ever met on the team,” junior Jasmin Dao said. “Even when I was a freshman, she welcomed me with open arms and made me feel more comfortable. We played doubles together my freshman year and Kristina was always reassuring me and helping me out. She is one of the most optimistic people I know.”
In addition to being known as exceptionally friendly, Jansen has been commended for being a determined player with many memorable matches played during her four years at UCSD.
With three seniors leaving this year, and two other team members taking leave to study abroad in 2005, the Tritons will lose a total of five varsity players, but the promising group of incoming players gives the team promise.
“We’re going to miss them a lot on the court; they’re always talking and encouraging us,” said Dao, who will be the only senior on the team next year. “They get along with everyone and off the court they’ve been the ones we’ve looked up to. Not only will we miss them as teammates, but as friends as well.”
