The UCLA women’s tennis team, ranked 17th nationally, was narrowly defeated by No. 16 California with a score of 4-3 in a match held at the Hellman Tennis Complex in Berkeley on Friday. The contest lasted nearly four hours and was decided before the final singles match concluded.
UCLA’s Mayu Crossley achieved a significant milestone by defeating Berta Passola Folch, who is ranked ninth in the nation, in three sets. Teammates Bianca Fernandez and Ahmani Guichard also recorded wins for the Bruins. California secured the doubles point early in the competition, followed by singles victories from Laura Cilekova, Mao Mushika, and Johanne Svendsen to clinch the overall result.
In doubles play, California’s Tiziana-Marie Schomburg and Naomi Xu overcame an early deficit to defeat UCLA’s Crossley and Kayla Chung 6-4. While Guichard and Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer were close to winning their match on Court 2, Cal took the first point with another win at the top court as Mushika and Passola Folch beat Olivia Center and Kate Fakih.
During singles competition, UCLA managed to capture only one first set but quickly worked to recover. After Cilekova won against Center on Court 6 (6-2, 7-5), Fernandez responded for UCLA with a straight-set victory over Greta Greco Lucchina (6-4, 7-6(3)) on Court 4. This marked Fernandez’s second consecutive win.
Crossley leveled the team score at two apiece by coming back from a set down to defeat Passola Folch (5-7, 6-2, 6-0). Notably, Passola Folch had reached the finals of last November’s NCAA Championships singles tournament after beating Crossley in an earlier round.
Mushika restored Cal’s lead with a tight win over Fakih (7-6(6), 7-6(3)), while Svendsen delivered the deciding point by overcoming Lutkemeyer (7-6(5), 4-6, 6-2) on Court 1. In the last completed match on Court 5, Guichard posted her best win over a ranked opponent by defeating No. 63 Naomi Xu (2-6, 7-5, 7-5).
Following this loss, UCLA holds a season record of 2-2. The Bruins are scheduled to play next against No. 11 Stanford at Arrillaga Tennis Center – Taube Pavilion on Saturday at approximately 3 p.m., while their men’s team will compete against Stanford earlier that day.
Singles results:
1. Johanne Svendsen (California) def. Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA) – 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-2
2. Mayu Crossley (UCLA) def. Berta Passola Folch (California) – 5-7, 6-2, 6-0
3. Mao Mushika (California) def. Kate Fakih (UCLA) – 7-6(8–6), 7–6(7–3)
4. Bianca Fernandez (UCLA) def. Greta Greco Lucchina (California) – 6–4, 7–6(3)
5. Ahmani Guichard (UCLA) def. Naomi Xu (California) – 2–6, 7–5, 7–5
6. Laura Cilekova (California) def. Olivia Center (UCLA) – 6–2, 7–5
Doubles results:
1. Mao Mushika/Berta Passola Folch (California) def. Olivia Center/Kate Fakih (UCLA) – 6–3
2. Greta Greco Lucchina/Johanne Svendsen (California) vs Ahmani Guichard/Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (UCLA), unfinished
3. Tiziana-Marie Schomburg/Naomi Xu (California) def Kayla Chung/Mayu Crossley (UCLA), 6–4
Match notes indicate that California now stands at a record of 1–0 for the season while UCLA moves to an even record of two wins and two losses.
