03-26-2021, 07:38 PM
Hey all, sorry I didn’t post anything earlier, but I’m on vacation, so my posting abilities are limited. But we can use this as a spot to discuss the matches this week against UCSB, WSU, and UW, at least.
On Wednesday, we saw UCSB come to town, and that’s a team we should have demolished at every spot in the lineup. So, how did we do? Ana Geller was out of the lineup again in favor of Angelica Blake (I’m assuming Geller is fine and this is Lele trying to figure out the bottom of the lineup), so we still have yet to see our best 6 on court at the same time. Choy also took the day off, meaning the back half was Shin-Madurawe-Higuchi. After a concerningly tight doubles point, we got solid-to-dominant wins from Courts 1-3 and 5-6. The exception, as usual, is Janice Shin, who got bageled in the second set before eking out a 10-8 win in the deciding supertiebreaker. Bageled! At #4 singles against UCSB! That’s fairly shocking, even with Shin’s disappointing run of play.
Then today was Wazzu. Really liked the quick doubles point leading into singles, where our lineup was Gordon-Arbuthnott-Blake-Choy-Shin-Higuchi, so basically what seems to be Lele’s standard lineup (we’re only allowed either Blake or Geller, apparently). Then we saw the top 3 take care of business, with Arbuthnott rolling over a very good Sato, and Gordon clinching with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bayerlova, who is a legit excellent player. That’s all great stuff, and a really encouraging showing from our top two. Choy chipped in a solid win at 4, and Higuchi bounced back from a tight first set to take control in the second. And then there’s Janice Shin, who lost 7-6, 6-4 to yet another lesser player. I am just struggling to see the rationale for continuing to put her in the lineup, folks. She did great as a freshman for us, and seemed to progress as a sophomore, but this just isn’t the same player. With our depth, points at 5 and 6 against the bottom half of the conference should be near-automatic. And yet. And yet....
Tomorrow is UW, which hasn’t impressed this year but did just come close against Cal, losing 4-3. Coming close might be the theme of the Huskies this year, nearly getting wins against USC, Baylor, ASU, and now Cal. Excited to see what tomorrow holds for us, and maybe we’ll even get to see Geller and Blake on court at the same time!
On Wednesday, we saw UCSB come to town, and that’s a team we should have demolished at every spot in the lineup. So, how did we do? Ana Geller was out of the lineup again in favor of Angelica Blake (I’m assuming Geller is fine and this is Lele trying to figure out the bottom of the lineup), so we still have yet to see our best 6 on court at the same time. Choy also took the day off, meaning the back half was Shin-Madurawe-Higuchi. After a concerningly tight doubles point, we got solid-to-dominant wins from Courts 1-3 and 5-6. The exception, as usual, is Janice Shin, who got bageled in the second set before eking out a 10-8 win in the deciding supertiebreaker. Bageled! At #4 singles against UCSB! That’s fairly shocking, even with Shin’s disappointing run of play.
Then today was Wazzu. Really liked the quick doubles point leading into singles, where our lineup was Gordon-Arbuthnott-Blake-Choy-Shin-Higuchi, so basically what seems to be Lele’s standard lineup (we’re only allowed either Blake or Geller, apparently). Then we saw the top 3 take care of business, with Arbuthnott rolling over a very good Sato, and Gordon clinching with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bayerlova, who is a legit excellent player. That’s all great stuff, and a really encouraging showing from our top two. Choy chipped in a solid win at 4, and Higuchi bounced back from a tight first set to take control in the second. And then there’s Janice Shin, who lost 7-6, 6-4 to yet another lesser player. I am just struggling to see the rationale for continuing to put her in the lineup, folks. She did great as a freshman for us, and seemed to progress as a sophomore, but this just isn’t the same player. With our depth, points at 5 and 6 against the bottom half of the conference should be near-automatic. And yet. And yet....
Tomorrow is UW, which hasn’t impressed this year but did just come close against Cal, losing 4-3. Coming close might be the theme of the Huskies this year, nearly getting wins against USC, Baylor, ASU, and now Cal. Excited to see what tomorrow holds for us, and maybe we’ll even get to see Geller and Blake on court at the same time!
