UCLA
Tennessee
No. 8 Women's Tennis Upset by No. 16 Tennessee, 4-3
May 17, 2024 | Women's Tennis
The Cowgirls (22-7) earned the early advantage in doubles play, as Lauren Anzalotta/Catherine Aulia downed Ahmani Guichard/Sasha Vagramov by a 6-4 score. After alternating breaks of serve early on Court 3, the Lady Volunteer combination collected another in the final game.
There were four breaks in the initial six games en route to a tiebreaker on Court 2. No. 42 Kimmi Hance/Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer of UCLA could not get the first point, but responded by taking the next four and seven of the last eight for a 7-2 result.
Another tiebreaker was needed in the deciding match, where the 13th-ranked Bruin duo of Tian Fangran and Elise Wagle took on No. 11 Sofia Cabezas/Elza Tomase. Like Court 2, Tennessee got off on the right foot before UCLA answered with four straight points. The final three also went to the Bruins, giving them a 7-3 victory and UCLA the doubles point.
The Bruins seized four singles first sets, including all three on the bottom courts. One that went Tennessee's way came on Court 3, where Alana Wolfberg got the best of No. 73 Bianca Fernandez in a 6-3, 6-0 decision.
Lutkemeyer answered for UCLA with her 20th win of the campaign, a 6-2, 6-2 showing against Anzalotta on Court 5.
The next three matches would all finish within minutes of each other. Although Guichard would put the Bruins up 3-1 following a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory at Court 6, the Volunteers took the next two matches to lock it up at 3-3. Tomase upset the No. 27 Hance, 2-6, 6-1, 7-5 at Court 2, and Aulia stormed back to take a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win over Wagle at Court 4.
At the time of Aulia's victory, UCLA was still in a good position to notch the win, as Fangran was up a set and in a tight second set with Cabezas at Court 1. Tian even worked her way to match point at 6-5, however Cabezas survived that game and eventually evened things up by taking the set in a tiebreaker (7-4).
The third set started with five-straight breaks of serve, as neither player was able to hold and consolidate for an early advantage. After breaking Fangran for a 3-2 lead, Cabezas eventually found her form in the sixth game when she held for 4-2. Fangran notched her first service game to cut the lead to 4-3, however Cabezas took the final two games of the match for a 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 win to put the Volunteers into the semifinals against No. 13 Texas A&M. Tennessee becomes the first 16-seed to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Women's Tennis Championships.
NCAA Women's Tennis Championships
(16) Tennessee def. (8) UCLA, 4-3
Greenwood Tennis Center (Stillwater, Okla.)
Doubles
1. No. 13 Fangran/Wagle (UCLA) def. No. 11 Cabezas/Tomase (Tenn) - 7-6(3)
2. No. 42 Hance/Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Adeshina/Alana Wolfberg (Tenn) - 7-6(2)
3. Anzalotta/Aulia (Tenn) def. Guichard/Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) - 6-4
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles
1. No. 14 Sofia Cabezas (Tenn) def. No. 32 Tian Fangran (UCLA) - 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3
2. Elza Tomase (Tenn) def. No. 27 Kimmi Hance (UCLA) - 2-6, 6-1, 7-5
3. Alana Wolfberg (Tenn) def. No. 73 Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) - 6-0, 6-3
4. Catherine Aulia (Tenn) def. Elise Wagle (UCLA)- 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
5. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Lauren Anzalotta (Tenn) - 6-2, 6-2
6. Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) def. Esther Adeshina (Tenn) - 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 5, 6, 2, 4, 1
Players Mentioned
