UPCOMING MATCHES
Match Notes
No. 70 UC Irvine Anteaters at No. 9 UCLA Bruins
Fri. Jan. 22, 2016 / 1:00 PM
Los Angeles, Calif.
No. 34 Arkansas Razorbacks vs. No. 70 UC Irvine Anteaters
Sat. Jan. 23, 2016 / 6:00 PM
Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Stats
FIRST SERVES
The Anteaters began 2016 with a win, but it did not come easy.
After claiming the doubles point, Grand Canyon stormed back with three points, all in straight set sweeps, to take the lead.
Junior Cassidy Branstine stepped up to win in straight sets, and senior Sarah Gong steadily handled her match at No. 1 singles to tie it up and leave it in the hands of a freshman.
Catherine Kreslin dropped her second set to send the match's deciding point to a third set. She fell behind early in the set, but powered back for the 6-3 win to claim her first collegiate win and the season-opening victory for the Anteaters, 4-3.
Kreslin wasn't the only freshman to get some action as Stephanie Hazell teamed up with Branstine to scored her first collegiate victory in doubles. Branstine's win in singles matched her total from 2015, and was her first at No. 5 singles.
The match also announced the return of Vivien Dvali after an injury grounded her for the backend of the 2015 season. Despite falling in straight sets in singles, she teamed up with Andrea Duva to secure No. 2 doubles and what proved to be a critical point for the 'Eaters.
NUMBERED ATTACK
The 'Eaters were 4-6 against ranked opponents in 2015 with wins over No. 39 Fresno State, No. 50 UCSB, No. 53 Hawai'i, and No. 73 Sacramento State. In addition, UCI beat No. 52 Marshall and No. 69 San Francisco who were unranked at the time of the matchup.
The 2016 schedule is littered with seven ranked opponents to begin the year with a potential eighth pending the second ITA Kick-Off Classic matchup. Three opponents hail from the Big West conference in No. 75 CSUN, No. 59 UC Santa Barbara, and topped off by No. 40 Long Beach State.
The 'Eaters find themselves within the rankings at No. 70 after beginning the season at No. 70. The squad finished 2015 at No. 72 in the country after spending 13 of the 15 weeks as a ranked school. The team was in the rankings through the final 10 weeks of the season reaching as high as No. 41.
FALL REFLECTIONS
The Anteaters had their full arsenal out in fall play taking place in five tournaments across Southern California.
They took place in a pair of San Diego State classics where youth was served as Taylor LeFridge, Alex Harrigan, and Stephanie Hazell each finished second in their respective draws.
Harrigan also finished as a runner-up in Flight C of the CSUN Matador Invite. Freshman Catherine Kreslin had her best showing taking fifth place in Flight D.
Hazell finished as a consolation semifinalist in the ITA Regionals joined by Arisha Ladhani's run to the Round of 32.
The annual Jack Kramer Collegiate Invite saw senior and local Sarah Gong reach the quarterfinals. She also notched a third place finish in her respective SDSU Classic draw.
#ITAKICKOFF CLASSIC
The true test begins this weekend with a trip up the road to Los Angeles for the annual ITA Kick-off Classic.
UCI and No. 9 UCLA kick things off on Friday. The Anteaters have been frequent participants in the UCLA regional of this tournament such as last season, but have not played the Bruins since 2014. UCI scored a pair of points in the 2013 meeting, the only time its avoided a sweep in the past 6 meetings.
The Bruins ran a 23-5 season a year ago all the way to the championship match before falling to Vanderbilt. Friday's match will open up the season for the Bruins who had quite a bit of roster turnover.
Kyle McPhillips and Catherine Harrison remain as the big players. The senior Harrison went 12-6 in fall tournaments including wins over four nationally ranked foes, and is coming off a 19-3 dual season in 2015 with 12 wins at No. 4 singles.
Fellow senior McPhillips had 10 wins in 2015, primarily at No. 3 singles. Sophomore competitors Kristin Wiley, Terri Fleming, and Maia Magill will be asked to step up after putting together nine combined wins in slots above No. 6 last season.
UCI's Saturday opponent will be determined from Friday's results as Arkansas and Fresno State will play in the coinciding match.
The Razorbacks come in ranked No. 34 after standing at No. 36 to start the season. After a 16-15 record in 2015 that included a first round loss in the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas won its opener this season, 6-1, over Houston.
Junior Shannon Hudson leads the way at No. 1 with senior Makenzie Craft, sophomore Mia Jurasic, and freshman Ana Oparenovic also contributing. Hudson and senior Yuliya Lysa have come together to make the 27th-ranked doubles duo this season with seven fall tournament wins and three against ranked foes.
The other potential opponent is Fresno State ranked No. 54 following an 18-5 campaign last year that came with a conference title. Last year, UCI pulled out a tough 4-3 victory vs. FS. The 'Eaters and Bulldogs have a scheduled match on March 26th this season as well.
Senior sisters Sophie and Anneka Watts lead the way. Sophie was a perfect 22-0 in 2015, and the duo was 13-2 in doubles, this year they rank 58th. Sophomore Maiar Sherif Ahmed also went 21-1, and enters 2016 ranked 26th in the nation.
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