Michigan State women’s tennis showed signs of growth but ultimately fell 4-1 to UCLA on Sunday as the Bruins' consistency and precision took control in singles after a promising doubles start.
The Spartans opened with one of their strongest doubles performances of the season, a phase head coach Kim Bruno emphasized has been a work in progress.
"I mean, we've been working on this — it has been our Achilles' heel, you know — and we've turned it around. It’s bravery. That’s what it comes down to: just going up, being the one who can dominate the middle, go get a volley and take control of neutral balls. We did a great job of that today. It was fun, exciting doubles, good energy," Bruno said.
MSU built momentum early, winning the doubles point behind assertive net play and improved chemistry — a key breakthrough against a UCLA team that rarely drops that category.
"I mean, I don't know if UCLA often loses doubles points, to be honest with you. It was unbelievable. It was fun. We’ve got to take those small victories when we can against teams like this. We gave ourselves a shot to win," Bruno added.
That momentum, however, proved difficult to sustain in singles, where UCLA’s control and shot-making began to dictate play.
On Court 1, Ellie Blackford was immediately put on the defensive. UCLA jumped out to a 3-0 lead and dictated play with sharp, down-the-line forehands that consistently stretched the court. Blackford dropped the first set 6-2, and despite brief rallies in the second, UCLA maintained control to close it out, 6-1.
Court 2 followed a similar pattern. Amara Brahmbhatt struggled to find a rhythm on serve, with misfires either catching the net or sailing long. UCLA capitalized on the lack of precision, building a 5-2 lead in the opening set before taking it, 6-2. While Brahmbhatt showed more fight in the second set, extending rallies and finding some momentum, UCLA’s consistency on key points sealed a 6-4 finish.
"You know, we got outplayed in certain spots — credit to UCLA. They were stronger in those moments, and we had opportunities in others. That’s tennis. We just have to take care of our opportunities like we did in doubles and keep plugging forward," Bruno said.
On Court 3, Matilde Morais delivered one of MSU's more competitive performances. After falling behind early and dropping the first set 6-2, she reset and battled back, leveling momentum and controlling points to take the second set 6-3.
Court 4 proved to be one of the most decisive matches of the day. Hanna Tsitavets faced relentless pressure as UCLA stormed to a 5-0 lead and closed the first set 6-0 in dominant fashion. While Tsitavets showed more resistance in the second set, UCLA maintained control to finish 6-3.
On Courts 5 and 6, Oriana Parkins-Godwin and Issey Purser showed flashes of resilience, forcing long rallies and covering the court well. But UCLA’s ability to dictate pace proved effective, giving them important points.
Across courts, a clear theme emerged: UCLA’s serving and precision under pressure. Whether through aggressive down-the-line winners or consistency in neutral rallies, the Bruins capitalized on key points, while MSU struggled to convert its opportunities.
"I think we can compete with any team in the country. We just need to keep believing that and keep working toward our goal. We can’t let this take us down," Bruno said.
The UCLA match capped a difficult West Coast stretch for the Spartans, who also fell 4-0 to USC on Saturday. MSU split results in doubles, but the point slipped away on Court 1 after Ellie Blackford and Matilde Morais battled back from a 1-4 deficit before falling 6-3. In singles, USC’s ranked lineup controlled the match, with losses on Courts 3, 6 and 2 clinching the sweep, though multiple Spartan matches remained competitive before going unfinished.
"I think, like I said, it’s about the small victories when we can get them. I’m proud of our girls this weekend. We didn’t come away with wins, but we’re getting better as a team. When we put together a complete performance, I will feel bad for whoever we play that day," Bruno said.
With the pair of losses, MSU moves to 8-8 overall and 1-5 in conference play but leaves the weekend with tangible progress — particularly in doubles — now preparing for Wisconsin on March 27th.
