Monday, May 18
Bruins dominate at Regionals
UCLA sweeps Midwest colleges during trip toward NCAA
Championship
By Jeff KmiotekDaily Bruin ContributorThe UCLA women’s tennis
team’s trip to the Midwest has been extended an extra week. Their
first stop was this weekend in Illinois at the NCAA Regionals. It
was not a pleasure trip for the Bruins, because they meant all
business. UCLA didn’t just win the Midwest Regional, they
completely dominated it. They breezed through the bracket with
relative ease to advance to the NCAA Championships next week in
Notre Dame.The first match of the Regional took place Friday
against No. 42 Marquette. The Bruins received a big boost from
Amanda Basica, who returned from a shoulder injury to dispose of
Marquette’s Jessie Klick 6-0, 6-2. Basica, considered to be one of
the nation’s top players at the start of the year, had been
sidelined since November 17. But her shoulder showed no effects of
the injury in the match, which is basically the best news the
Bruins could get. UCLA defeated Marquette 5-2, getting singles wins
from Christina Popescu, Kati Kocsis, Kelly Rudolph and Basica.
Popescu, and the star of the day Basica, clinched the victory by
winning their doubles match, 8-0.The next day brought No. 38
Indiana to the mercy of the Bruins. Different opponent, same
outcome. UCLA routed the Hoosiers 5-0. Popescu, Rudolph, Elizabeth
Schmidt and Brandi Freudenberg all won in straight sets, and Kocsis
clinched it with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 win. The doubles teams got the day
off, as UCLA swept the singles matches.With Notre Dame winning
their first two matches of the Regional, the stage was set for the
top two seeds to battle for the right to compete in the NCAA
Championships.The Fighting Irish, ranked 19th in the nation, would
get to go home to play in the Championships in front of their home
fans with a win, so the Bruins thought it wouldn’t be easy. But it
was. UCLA shamed Notre Dame 5-1. The Irish never had a chance,
getting slaughtered from the beginning to the end. The match was
decided in six singles matches, and again, doubles play never
began. Annica Cooper picked up her first win of the weekend,
beating No. 25 Jennifer Hall 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Popescu took care of
No. 19 Michelle Dasso 6-4, 6-1, and Kocsis and Freudenberg won
their matches. The tournament ended in storybook fashion, with
senior and co-captain Kelly Rudolph clinching the win and the bid
for the NCAA Championships.The first round of the 16-team
Championships will begin on Thursday. UCLA’s total domination in
the Regionals show that they are for real. Currently ranked 14th in
the nation, the Bruins are finally healthy and they have all peaked
at the perfect time. UCLA is hitting all the right cylinders, and
have the confidence of a champion. The Bruins will definitely be a
strong contender in South Bend for the title of college’s best
team.
DERRICK KUDO/Daily Bruin
Kati Kocsis and the Bruins swept Indiana in the first round of
the NCAA Regionals in Illinois.