With commanding performances from its freshmen, the No. 4 UCLA women’s tennis team earned a berth in next month’s USTA/ITA National Team Indoors on Saturday after overpowering a worn out St. Mary’s team during ITA Kick-Off Weekend at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

But before playing against the Gaels, the Bruins had to overcome a Utah team that proved to be tougher than expected.

“I think that they shocked us. They came out here ready to fight, and we weren’t expecting it,” junior Pamela Montez said. “It was a battle.”

Montez, who gave the Bruins the fourth point to win the match against Utah, battled from a set down to eventually win her match in three sets.

“In the first set I couldn’t get a ball in the court, at the point (I just wanted to) get it in, just hit it down the middle if (I had) to, but get it in.”

Next to Montez, senior McCall Jones and freshman Robin Anderson were fighting their own battles in the first and second courts.

Jones was upset by Ute Sarah Pham 6-3, 6-1, while eighth-ranked Anderson was down a break in the third set, 6-3, 4-6, 1-3, before the match ended.

“I thought I played pretty well in the first set. I was serving well, moving forward, I was hitting through my forehands. In the second set I got tightened, (I) started making a lot more errors, and she started hitting better and just making more balls,” Anderson said.

The Bruins would have the opportunity to redeem themselves against No. 41 St. Mary’s, who had outlasted No. 25 Oklahoma 4-3 in a physically taxing match the previous day.

Although the Bruins expected competitive doubles play, the Gaels put up limited resistance.

“I am really impressed with the way our doubles is going right now, the way they’re coming out and really dominating. I was very pleased to see that,” coach Stella Sampras Webster said.

UCLA went into singles with a 1-0 lead over St. Mary’s, and the Bruins’ singles players delivered more of the same against the Gaels.

Anderson had another big day as she beat No. 82 Catherine Isip 6-2, 6-2.
“I played a lot better than I did yesterday. I was more consistent today than I was yesterday, I thought that was probably the biggest thing,” Anderson said.

Fellow freshmen Kaitlin Ray and Chanelle Van Nguyen also obliterated their opponents 6-1, 6-1, and 6-3, 6-0, respectively.

“I think I definitely had to play my best tennis at times. She was a tough opponent, she got a lot of balls back, but I think I was able to stick to my game plan and just stay in the point and come out on top,” Ray said.

UCLA improves to 3-0 with the win. The team will be one of 16 schools competing in the USTA/ITA National Team Indoors in Charlottesville, Va., next month, and Sampras Webster will continue to expect big things from her group of freshmen.

“They are coming along. They’re finding out what it’s all about here so they’re learning a lot every day, (having) new experiences and dealing with different situations and adversity,” Sampras Webster said.

“I’m pleased with them. They’re working hard, they’re trying hard. They’re into it.”