Having begun the week with a spoiled win streak at the hands of their crosstown rival USC and a 0-4 loss to Ohio State, the No. 27 Bruins were eager to turn the page.
And their maiden match-up with Penn State was the perfect opportunity.
Early Sunday morning, Sarni Tennis Center bore witness to UCLA men’s tennis’ dynamic comeback as the team secured a 4-0 win over the Nittany Lions, improving their overall record to 9-8 and notching a seventh Big Ten conference victory.
UCLA was expeditious in clinching the doubles point, with court one senior pairing Alexander Hoogmartens and Giacomo Revelli besting Penn State’s graduate Sam Bossemc and senior Loren Byers 7-5.
On court three, junior Gianluca Ballotta and redshirt sophomore Emon van Loben Sels – named Big Ten Player of the Week on Wednesday following dominant performances in both singles and doubles matches – returned to the win column after a rare loss to Ohio State last week. The duo recorded a 6-4 triumph against freshman Reiya Hattori and Shrikeshav Murugesan.
With the doubles point secured, the Bruins on court two – freshmen Kaylan Bigun and Rudy Quan – left their 6-6 tie game with senior Charl Morgan and sophomore Marcus Schoeman unfinished.
But both UCLA first years had a second opportunity to earn points for the team, and neither squandered it.
After Hoogmartens kicked things off with a 6-2, 6-3 singles win over Hattori, Quan battled Morgan again, this time one-on-one. He emerged victorious, tallying scores of 6-3, 6-3 against the senior player.
His doubles partner also left Pennsylvania with a win under his belt: Bigun defeated Schoeman 6-4, 6-2 to seal the deal for the Bruins.
Consequently, Ballotta and Revelli – who were slated to compete against Nolan Ranger and Murugesan, respectively – faced abandoned matches, and van Loben Sels’ contest with Bossem was cut short at 1-6, 6-5.
UCLA currently sits at No. 4 in the Big Ten – just above USC – and after a set of discouraging losses, Sunday’s showing reaffirmed their grit and potential to continue rising through the conference ranks.
Bolstered by their sixth sweep of the season, a revitalized UCLA will return to Westwood to host Michigan at home in the Los Angeles Tennis Center on Friday, April 11.
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Featured Image Photographed by Brianna Carlson/Daily Bruin.
