UCLA
Seattle
UCLA Blanks Seattle U, Turns Focus to Indoors
February 14, 2018 | Men's Tennis
MERCER ISLAND, Wash. – With an ITA Indoor Team Championships matchup against No. 10 Illinois looming, the No. 7 UCLA men's tennis team shut out Seattle University Wednesday at Mercer Island Country Club. Only one match went to a third set, as Maxime Cressy won a dramatic 10-point match tiebreaker to ensure the 7-0 Bruin win.
The match represented the first of at least four for the Bruins in the Pacific Northwest. They will now face No. 10 Illinois in an ITA Indoors match Friday morning (9 a.m.) at the Seattle Tennis Club.
The Bruins had little trouble with the Redhawks in doubles play, as Ben Goldberg and Bryce Pereira got things started with a 6-2 win over Arshak Ghazaryan and Alex Chan on Court 3. Then, with the Court 2 teams locked in a tight contest, the UCLA top-court tandem of Maxime Cressy and Evan Zhu clinched the opening point with a 6-3 win over Trenton Nield and Colton Weeldreyer.
Singles play was more of the same, as No. 6 Austin Rapp nearly blanked Jeremiah Kalbus on Court 6, 6-1, 6-0, to make it 2-0. Zhu also had an easy go of it, breezing past Ghazaryan on Court 2 by a 6-2, 6-2 score. Connor Hance clinched the Bruin win, defeating Michael Schoettler on Court 5, 6-4, 6-3, for the second clinching win of the freshman's career thus far. No. 58 Logan Staggs earned a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Colton Weeldreyer, moving the senior's dual-match record to a team-best 8-0.
With the Bruins leading, 5-0, Keegan Smith and Maxime Cressy each endured a challenge from a Seahawk. Playing on the top court for the Bruins, No. 107 Smith moved past Trenton Nield after almost dropping the opening set, notching a 7-5, 6-1 win. On Court 4, Cressy did drop his opening set, countered with an easy second-set victory. As the seventh and final point rode on a tiebreker, Cressy ultimately maintained the shutout with a 12-10 third-set tiebreaking win and a 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (12-10) overall decision.
UCLA now turns their attention to Illinois and ITA Indoors. The Bruins will face the Fighting Illini Friday morning in an Oracle/ITA Top-10 matchup.
Tennis Match Results
UCLA vs Seattle U
Feb 14, 2018 at Seattle, Wash.
(Mercer Island Country Club)
UCLA 7, Seattle U 0
Singles competition
1. #107 Keegan Smith (UCLA) def. Trenton Nield (SU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Evan Zhu (UCLA) def. Arshak Ghazaryan (SU) 6-2, 6-2
3. #58 Logan Staggs (UCLA) def. Colton Weeldreyer (SU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Maxime Cressy (UCLA) def. Emilio Monroy (SU) 5-7, 6-2, 12-10
5. Connor Hance (UCLA) def. Michael Schoettler (SU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Austin Rapp (UCLA) def. Jeremiah Kalmus (SU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Maxime Cressy/Evan Zhu (UCLA) def. Trenton Nield/Colton Weeldreyer (SU) 6-3
2. Michael Schoettler/Jeremiah Kalmus (SU) vs. Keegan Smith/Austin Rapp (UCLA) 4-5, unfinished
3. Ben Goldberg/Bryce Pereira (UCLA) def. Arshak Ghazaryan/Alex Chan (SU) 6-2
Match Notes:
UCLA 8-1
Seattle U 3-4
Order of Finish: Doubles (3, 1); Singles (6, 2, 5, 3, 1, 4)
Players Mentioned
