The women’s tennis team handed Point Loma Nazarene an 8-1 loss on Feb. 10. This was the Tritons’ second non-conference win since the season started on Feb. 4. Despite the seemingly lopsided score, the Sea Lions were a tough match for the Tritons, giving many of the players some close calls.
“”This match was definitely a lot tougher than the score showed,”” Triton team captain Julie Westerman said. “”The games were actually closer than the actual set scores, but we played the important points well, and it was good tune-up for the season to come.””
The Tritons had two three-set matches in the singles lineup and some very close wins in doubles. At No. 2 singles, Jasmin Dao gave a great performance, winning her first set 6-4 and then coming back after trailing 1-4 in the second set to win. At No. 1 singles, Westerman managed to outmaneuver her opponent after a 5-7 first-set loss to win the match, 5-7, 6-1 and 6-1. The only loss for the singles came at the No. 4 position, in a very close 2-6, 7-5 and 7-5 three-set defeat.
The Tritons’ doubles lineup offered stiff competition, and managed to sweep the three matches. Westerman teamed up with Tara Siddiqui to defeat their opponents at the No. 1 doubles position, and Dao played with Kristin Bronowicki to hand Point Loma an 8-6 loss at No. 2 doubles. The only lineup change since the Tritons’ first match against Point Loma was at the No. 3 doubles position. Jenny Ishii stepped in to play with Katie McKee, completing a clean 8-3 sweep.
Siddiqui is making a comeback off the injured list, starting at No. 1 doubles. Last year, she was playing in the singles lineup but, due to shoulder and knee problems, was forced to take the summer off to regain and build strength.
“”Point Loma gave us a pretty decent match, they definitely made us work for the win,”” UCSD head coach Liz LaPlante said. “”The lesson that we learned today was that a match can change very quickly ó you can be on the verge of match point and then find yourself in another set because your focus was lost.””
Point Loma definitely tested the Tritons’ focus and mental toughness on Feb. 10 in a much more challenging match than the UCSD’s victorious season-opener against Alliant International University.
“”The lesson that we learned today was that no matter where you are in a match, you can still pull it out,”” Westerman said. “”If you just play point by point, then you’re still in the match.””
It’ll be key for the Tritons to turn on their match-mentality mode, especially coming off such a long period of practicing matches against themselves.
“”This [match-mentality] will just come as the season progresses,”” Westerman said. “”We have all the techniques, we just need to implement them.””
The next match for the Tritons will be on the road on Feb. 14 against a tougher and more competitive Cal State Bakersfield team.
Then UCSD will take on Cal State Los Angeles on Feb. 16 in Los Angeles.
The Tritons will return home on Feb. 20 to face Western New Mexico at 2 p.m.
Western New Mexico will be looking for their first win against UCSD.
