May 17, 1998
LOS ANGELES, CA -- The 19th-ranked Washington men's tennis team fell in the West Regional final to 10th-ranked UCLA 4-2 this afternoon on the UCLA campus. Washington ends the season with a 15-7 record while UCLA advances to the NCAA championships with a 16-7 record. The two schools split the two meetings this year, each winning on its home courts. Washington's all-time record in NCAA postseason play falls to 2-4 but advanced the farthest it has ever been this postseason.
The Huskies took the early lead as they clinched the doubles point to begin the day. The No. 2 doubles duo of Mark Woolley and Nick Quatrochi (11-13) fought off three Bruin match points to battle back for a 9-8 win. Eric Drew and Robert Kendrick, ranked 37th in the nation, improved their doubles record to 19-8 with an 8-6 win over UCLA's Jean-Noel Grinda and Matt Breen in No. 1 doubles action.
However, the Huskies could only muster one singles victory as UCLA won four singles matches. Unranked Sasha Rampazzo closed out his Husky career upsetting 92nd-ranked Jason Cook, 7-6, 6-1 in No. 4 singles play. No. 26 Eric Drew's match was suspended after the Bruins clinched the victory.
Drew (21-9) and Kendrick (26-11) will represent No. 19 Washington at the NCAA singles championships held in Athens, Ga., May 27-31. The two also form the nation's 37th-ranked doubles team that will serve as an alternate in the doubles championships. UCLA 4 Washington 2 |
