Tech’s impressive season comes to close against No. 8 UCLA

Texas Tech Athlerics

LOS ANGELES – Despite forcing a couple tiebreakers and third sets, the No. 25 Texas Tech Lady Raiders’ season came to an end against the No. 8-ranked UCLA Bruins with a 4-0 loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

The Bruins (20-5) took an early lead over the Lady Raiders (20-9) after winning the doubles point. UCLA would get its first win at court three where Ahmani Guichard and Sasha Vagramov were taking on Andreea Lila and Jermine Sherif. The Lady Raiders led 2-0 before the Bruins won four-straight games. Tech answered with the next two to tie it at 4-4, but UCLA took the match with a 6-4 score.

Clinching the point at court one was No. 13 Tian Fangran and Elise Wagle against No. 5 Metka Komac and Avelina Sayfetdinova. It was a back-and-forth affair early in the match as the two teams were even at 2-all. However, the Bruins would go up 5-2 for the advantage. The Lady Raiders fought, getting a hold and a break to make it 4-5, but UCLA would clinch the point with the 6-4 win.

When the point was won, Cristina Tiglea and Yekaterina Dmitrichenko were teamed up for the first time this spring at court two, facing No. 32-ranked Kimmi Hance and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer. The Lady Raiders led 5-4 when their match went unfinished.

The Bruins were able to grab singles wins at courts two, four and five to secure a spot in the Sweet 16. At court five, Lutkemeyer would defeat Lila, 6-1, 6-2, for UCLA’s second point of the day. Following this, Sayfetdinova would fall to No. 27 Hance at court two by a 6-4, 6-1 score. Clinching the match was Wagle at court four over Komac after winning it, 7-6 (1), 6-3. In that match, Komac was down 1-4 in set one before forcing the tiebreaker in a resilient effort.

After the match was clinched, No. 32 Fangran had a slight lead over No. 55 Tiglea at court one. Fangran won the first set, 6-3, but Tiglea would tie up the second set at 5-5 when it went unfinished.

At court three, Dmitrichenko and No. 73 Bianca Fernandez were locked in a battle. Fernandez claimed set one, 6-0, but the Lady Raider snuck past the Bruin in the second set, 7-6 (3). They were tied 1-1 in the final set when the match was called.

Sherif was facing Guichard at court six – winning the lone first set for Texas Tech, 6-4. The Bruin responded by evening the match with a 6-2 set two score. Guichard narrowly led, 2-1, in set three when the match went unfinished.

Up next, Komac and Sayfetdinova, along with Tiglea, are set to compete at the NCAA Individual Championships at the end of May in doubles and singles, respectively.

RESULTS

#25 Texas Tech 0, #8 UCLA 4

Singles

1. #32 Tian Fangran (UCLA) vs. #55 Cristina Tiglea (TTU) 6-3, 5-5, unfinished

2. #27 Kimmi Hance (UCLA) def. Avelina Sayfetdinova (TTU) 6-4, 6-1

3. #73 Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) vs. Yekaterina Dmitrichenko (TTU) 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 1-1, unfinished

4. Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. Metka Komac (TTU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-3

5. A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) def. Andreea Lila (TTU) 6-1, 6-2

6. Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) vs. Jermine Sherif (TTU) 4-6, 6-2, 2-1, unfinished

Doubles

1. #13 Tian Fangran/Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. #5 Metka Komac/Avelina Sayfetdinova (TTU) 6-4

2. #42 Kimmi Hance/A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) vs. Yekaterina Dmitrichenko/Cristina Tiglea (TTU) 4-5, unfinished