Teams: UC Davis vs. UC Riverside; vs. UC Irvine
Records: Aggies, 3-13 (0-3); Highlanders, 6-13 (0-1); Anteaters 4-15 (1-1)
Where: Marya Welch Tennis Center
When: Saturday at noon; Sunday at noon
Who to watch: Sophomore Kyle Miller ought to put on a thrilling show on Saturday afternoon after a spectacular performance against California State University, Fresno on Saturday.
Last season, Miller served as the No. 4 singles player for the majority of the season as a freshman.
He also finished with a 5-10 doubles record last season in duel matches.
Did you know? The Aggies have split with the Highlanders in the teams’ last two matchups.
UC Davis won against UC Riverside by 4-3 in 2010 and lost 5-2 last season.
Preview: Coming off a nine-game losing streak on the road, the Aggies look to regain rhythm and confidence and capture a key win against the Highlanders.
The upcoming match against UC Riverside signifies UC Davis’ second-to-last Big West Conference Event prior to the league Championships.
As of now, the Aggies are at the bottom of the conference with a 0-3 record, while the Highlanders remain two spots ahead.
“We’re particularly focused on this match,” Coach Daryl Lee said. “Not only to break our streak, but also because it is an important match-up.”
The Aggies could potentially move up the conference ranks to fifth place should they defeat the Highlanders and get some help from the other Big West games.
Lee believes that, outside of the top teams in the conference, every match is anyone’s game.
“The gap between number four and number five is relatively small, so it is possible to pull off an upset,” Lee said.
The Aggies look to capture a win at home and prepare for their last Big West matchup against UC Irvine on Sunday.
“They key is to remain mentally prepared,” said Lee. “We have been playing well, but it’s the simple things that make the match.”
— Veena Bansal
