LOS ANGELES-- After an almost six hour rain delay, Sun Devil tennis captured its 10th-straight victory with a 4-3 win over UCLA in Los Angeles. ASU played late into the night to secure the victory, it’s first on the Bruin’s home courts since 2000.
Under the lights of the Los Angeles Tennis center, the match began with singles in hopes that a team would clinch before the rain could begin again. The victory did not come easy for the Sun Devils. After a rather successful string of first set victories with two hard fought tie-breakers, the Sun Devils struggled dropping four out of six second sets, and many three-setters later UCLA tied it up 3-3.
Twenty-third ranked Desirae Krawczyk battled back after being down 1-3 early on to No. 15 Catherine Harrison. She soon found herself on the winning end of a tie-breaker that would secure her the first set 7-6 (5). The lead teetered back and forth on court one ending in a second set loss for Krawczyk 4-6. Krawczyk was once again tested in the third set, eventually falling 4-6 after multiple ties and lead changes.
No. 84 Kassidy Jump got off to an early lead over Terri Fleming of UCLA. She went up 2-0 before Fleming began closing in during the late games of the first set. Jump finished off the first set 6-4, battling a close game at 5-4. The second set would see challenges for the feisty junior. Tied 4-4 in the second set, Jump dropped the set in a tie-breaker 6-7(1). Jump would fight for the match in a third set tiebreaker and would come up short.
Senior Stephanie Vlad had a battle of her own on court four against UCLA’s Alaina Miller. Finding herself down 3-4 in the first set, Vlad fought to tie the first 5-5. Vlad went on to take the first set 7-6(5) in a tiebreaker. After trailing early in the third set 0-2, the tenacious veteran buckled down to take the third set 6-4. This marks the sixth-straight win for Vlad.
Senior Ebony Panoho cruised in the first set. Up a set 6-3, she would eventually drop the next two sets 3-6, 3-6. Panoho and doubles partner Alexandra Osborne would prove to be huge factors in the Sun Devils’ win.
Freshman Sammi Hampton continues to shine bright for the Sun Devils. Hampton was the first to finish her match on Friday night, defeating Kristin Wiley of UCLA 6-3, 6-2. This is the freshman’s 14th win of the season, as she has an impressive 14-2 record.
Junior Gussie O’Sullivan continued to take care of business on court six. O’Sullivan gave the Sun Devils a 2-0 lead over UCLA early after defeating Maia Magill of UCLA in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(5).
After three hours of hard fought singles matches, the Sun Devils found themselves tied 3-3 in need of a crucial doubles point.
At 1-2 and down a break, Panoho and Osborne rallied back to win five straight games. The #26 ranked duo would give ASU their first doubles win of the night over #5 Catherine Harrison and Kyle McPhillips 6-4. The win snaps Harrison and McPhillips once perfect 5-0 record against ranked opponents.
Senior duo Desirae Krawczyk and Stephanie Vlad were not far behind as they defeated UCLA’s Terri Fleming and Alaina Miller minutes later 6-3, clinching the doubles point and the win for the Devils.
Arizona State women’s tennis is set to play #24 USC (10-4, 5-0) on Saturday, April 9.
#26 Arizona State 4, #23 UCLA 3
Los Angeles Tennis Center
Los Angeles, CA
Friday, April 8
1. Catherine Harrison (UCLA) def. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-4
2. Kyle McPhillips (UCLA) def. #84 Kassidy Jump (ASU) 4-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5)
3. Terri Fleming (UCLA) def. Ebony Panoho (ASU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Alaina Miller (UCLA) 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4
5. Sammi Hampton (ASU) def. Kristin Wiley (UCLA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Gussie O’Sullivan def. Maia Magill (UCLA) 6-3, 7-6(5)
Order of finish: 5, 6, 3, 4, 1, 2
Doubles
1. # 26 Ebony Panoho/Alexandra Osborne (ASU) def. #5 Catherine Harrison/Kyle McPhillips (UCLA) 6-2
2. Desirae Krawczyk/Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Terri Fleming/Alaina Miller (UCLA) 6-3
3. #65 Kassidy Jump/Sammi Hampton vs. Kristin Wiley/Maia Magill (UCLA) 4-5, unfinished
Order of finish: 1, 2