The No.-29 Pepperdine women’s tennis team bounced back Tuesday after defeating Cal State Northridge 7-0 at Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center. Due to inclement weather on Friday the Waves’ scheduled match against UCLA is postponed until Feb. 4. Nevertheless this gave the Waves ample time to prepare for a CSUN beat down.
In the doubles match the Waves started off strong with a win from freshmen duo Andrea Oates and Zlatka Petrova. However junior Jill Braverman and freshman Anne-Christine Voicu dropped the second doubles match in a nail-biting 5-8 loss.
The Waves needed a second win to clinch the doubles point. And sophomore Anamika Bhargava and senior Alex Liles answered the call winning 8-5.
“Anu and I played well with each other today Liles said. We have gained a lot of confidence playing these last two years together. We knew we needed to win and I think we were both ready for this one.”
After the Waves’ solid start the team kept it going into the singles matches with victories coming from every player. “I thought my intensity was at its highest Braverman said. I didn’t break my focus the entire match.”
With Pepperdine playing at such a high level the Matadors didn’t stand a chance. The Waves welcomed back a healthy Bhargava who missed the first singles match of the year due to an abdominal injury.
“I was super excited for my first singles match [since May 2008] Bhargava said. I wasn’t so much focused on the score but I found my rhythm and I’m just glad I got my first win.”Bhargava came out strong winning the first set 6-1. But Northridge’s Evgeniya Vertesheva rallied back with a 6-2 win of her own. With the match tied at 1-1 it was anybody’s game but Bhargava’s dominance gave her the final set victory 6-2.
“When I think of all the matches today Anu’s jumps out in my mind said Pepperdine Head Coach Gualberto Escudero. She played against a very good player. It is important for our team to win at the number one and two spots. We have good team depth but our one and two need to compete and today we did that.”
By defeating the Matadors Pepperdine received its first win of the season and is now 1-1. On Saturday they will travel to Fayetteville Ark. to take part in the two-day ITA Regionals. Their opponent will be No.-17 Notre Dame.
“We have to get used to the fast-paced tennis that Notre Dame will play Escudero said. We have one day to practice in the indoor facilities. It will be a challenge. Notre Dame is a great indoor team.”
Pepperdine will be back at home Feb. 4 to play No.-3 UCLA.