WOMEN’S TENNIS — The Tritons haven’t lost a game in CCAA
play since April 2003 — a remarkable streak of 42 matches — and with a deep and
resilient squad this season, UCSD is poised to continue its success and make it
five perfect seasons in a row. Early in the spring season, UCSD hasn’t
disappointed, going 3-2 overall, with a perfect 2-0 mark in league play. Head
coach Liz LaPlante’s team has had two of their last three scheduled matches
canceled due to rain, but in the middle of the interrupted matches, UCSD took
out league rival Cal Poly Pomona 9-0 on the road over the weekend.
Now in her 29th season, LaPlante has been blessed with seven
freshman newcomers, a crew that has made things interesting in the Triton
lineup.
“I am extremely impressed with the new freshmen,” LaPlante
said. “They are definitely the strongest group of players I’ve ever had all
come at the same time. I think all of them will impact the top eight in a
competitive manner, and make it tough to determine who will be playing match in
and match out.”
The Triton’s tremendous depth will make them a tough foe for
any team in the CCAA, and they have no intention of relinquishing their
impressive streak.
Among its dangerous competitors, LaPlante mentioned Cal Poly
Pomona as a conference threat during the preseason, but was sure her team’s
extraordinary depth would be enough to prevail. Her team had little trouble
with the Broncos on Feb. 23, toughing out three grueling doubles matches to
take a 3-0 lead, then sweeping the singles to get the perfect victory. Both No.
1 and No. 3 doubles nearly went the distance, ending at 9-7. At the top spot,
two freshmen, Natalie Varnay and Taskeen Bains, notched their first win as a
doubles team when they defeated Jenny Tsai and Jessica Winkler of Cal Poly
Pomona. At number three, senior Justine Ang Fonte teamed with freshman Dalya Perelman
to take out the Broncos duo of Mallory Brady and Kaitlin Woolridge. No. 2
doubles was just as entertaining, with freshmen Kimmi Dao and Valerie Tang
holding off Kara Fisher and Fallon Blattner, 8-6.
The Tritons made things much less interesting once singles
started, winning five of the six matches in straight sets. In the only
three-setter, which was the No. 2 singles match, Perelman rode a wave of
tremendous shots to blow right by Winkler after a rough first set to win 1-6,
6-1 (10-1). Every other match was routine, with UCSD posting some crooked
scores in a thorough beating of the Broncos. Varnay was perfect in the fourth
spot, beating Fisher 6-0, 6-0. At number six, junior Tessa Tran was just as
dominating in the first set, beating Michelle Stock, 6-0, 7-5. Dao won her
match at the top spot over Tsai, 6-2, 6-3, while Fonte defeated Brady at the
number three spot by a 6-2, 6-1 score. Senior Molly Sullens won at the No. 5
spot, taking out Woolridge, 6-1, 6-2.
The Tritons’ first conference game of the early season was
on Feb. 9 when they hit the road to face Cal State Bernardino. UCSD looked
great in the match, dominating in both singles and doubles and winning 8-1. All
three doubles matches were won 8-1, and the singles was barely as competitive.
Junior Ina Dan and Bains won at the top doubles pot, beating Jennifer Joy and
Leslie Horn. At No. 2, Dao and Tang proved to be too much for Xinia Chaves and
Ashley Hulett. Fonte and Perelman combined to beat Brittany Choate and Kara
Jenkins in the last doubles spot.
Cal State San Bernardino’s only win of the day came at the
top singles match, when Joy managed to get by Dan in an exciting three-setter.
After the first set, Joy and Dan played neck and neck over the next two sets,
but Joy managed to make a few more shots to escape. The 3-6, 6-4, (14-12) win
was easily the best match of the day.
There wouldn’t be much else for the Coyotes to be excited
about. Beginning at number two singles, a 6-1, 6-1 victory by Dao over Leslie
Horn, CSUSB looked simply overmatched by the Tritons. Perelman won her match
6-0, 6-0, over Hulett at the third spot, and Sullens beat Chaves, 6-3, 6-0 at
the fourth spot. Varnay nearly had another double bagel, and cruised to an easy
win over Choate, 6-0, 6-1. In the final singles match, Tran was able to make it
two double bagels for UCSD on the day, with a 6-0, 6-0 win over Jenkins.
It’s clear from the Tritons’ early results in conference
that they should be a force in the national championship hunt, but with
nonconference losses to Cal State Northridge on Feb. 13 and Fresno Pacific on
Feb. 15, UCSD has much room for improvement.
LaPlante was hesitant to jump to conclusions and said that the road to a title is still extremely
imposing.
“BYU Hawaii, the defending national champion, will be very difficult
to beat, but I believe we have a stronger team this year than we did last
year,” she said. “By the end of the season, I think our team will finally be a
cohesive unit, and the newcomers will be integrated with the veterans. We
should be in good shape towards being one of the two best teams in the region,
and advancing to Nationals in
UCSD will be busy this week with three road matches, first
facing point
on Feb. 27. Two days later, UCSD will travel north, where they will play CCAA
opponent
followed by UC Davis on Mar. 1.
