Singles Sweep Seals Second-Round Berth for UCLA

STILLWATER, Okla. – The UCLA women's tennis team overcame an early deficit against Arkansas to earn a 4-1 win and NCAA Championship second-round berth Saturday at Greenwood Tennis Center.

The Bruins (13-6) will next face host and No. 12-seed Oklahoma State Sunday at 12 p.m. PT.

The Razorbacks (16-10) seized the day's first point, but UCLA responded by not dropping a set in singles play en route to the comeback victory. Abbey Forbes, Kimmi Hance, Elise Wagle and Vanessa Ong ran off the Bruins' wins, in order.

In a matchup of ranked pairs on the top doubles court, No. 53 Morgan Cross and Tatum Rice handed No. 29 Elysia Bolton and Elise Wagle a 6-2 loss to give Arkansas the advantage. Then, with Hance and Sasha Vagramov nearing victory on Court 3, Grace O'Donnell and Lenka Stara clinched the opening point with a 6-2 triumph over No. 86 Forbes and Ava Catanzartie on the middle court.

No. 25 Forbes set the tone in singles play, blanking No. 61 Rice in the first set on Court 1. UCLA went on to collect first-set wins across the board, including efforts in tiebreakers by Bolton and Vagramov, whose matchups were ultimately left unfinished.

Forbes held off Rice in their second set, putting a 6-0, 6-4 result on the board to even the overall score. Forbes has now knocked off six nationally-ranked counterparts this season and possesses a team-high 12 dual-match singles victories.

Playing in her first NCAA tournament, No. 122 Hance logged a 6-4, 6-0 showing versus Stara to extend her winning streak to 11 and give the Bruins their first lead of the day.

Wagle was also victorious in her NCAA tournament singles debut, as she pushed UCLA one step closer to the overall win with her 6-4, 6-1 display opposite Cross on Court 5.

Ong completed the sweep on Court 6, prevailing for the seventh time in nine decisions. Her 7-5, 6-2 victory against O'Donnell extended UCLA's perfect run of second-round trips since NCAA adopted the team format in 1982.

Tennis Match Results
Arkansas vs UCLA
5/7/2022 at Stillwater, OK
(Greenwood Tennis Center)

#20 UCLA 4, #31 Arkansas 1

Singles competition
1. #25 Abbey Forbes (UCLA) def. #61 Tatum Rice (ARK) 6-0, 6-4
2. #58 Elysia Bolton (UCLA) vs. Kelly Keller (ARK) 7-6 (7-4), 2-4, unfinished
3. Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) vs. Indianna Spink (ARK) 7-6 (7-4), 2-0, unfinished
4. #122 Kimmi Hance (UCLA) def. Lenka Stara (ARK) 6-4, 6-2
5. Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. Morgan Cross (ARK) 6-4, 6-1
6. Vanessa Ong (UCLA) def. Grace O'Donnell (ARK) 7-5, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. #53 Morgan Cross/Tatum Rice (ARK) def. #29 Elysia Bolton/Elise Wagle (UCLA) 6-2
2. Grace O'Donnell/Lenka Stara (ARK) def. #86 Ava Catanzarite/Abbey Forbes (UCLA) 6-2
3. Kimmi Hance/Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) vs. Kelly Keller/Indianna Spink (ARK) 5-3, unfinished

Match Notes:
Arkansas 16-10; National ranking #31
UCLA 13-6; National ranking #20
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,4,5,6)
NCAA Championships - First Round