KRISTIN ELVES/Arizona Daily Wildcat UA sophomore Whi Kim sizes up a forehand earlier this month against Loyola Marymount at the Robson Tennis Center. The Wildcat head to Los Angeles this weekend to face No. 1 UCLA and Southern California.

The 10 members of the UA men's tennis team have the opportunity to face the No. 1 team in the nation this weekend, as they travel to Los Angeles to take on top-ranked UCLA and No. 17 Southern California.

"Not that many athletes in any sport have a chance to play against a No. 1 team," said Arizona head coach Bill Wright . "It is a great thrill to have a chance like that, and we are treating it as such. We have a great opportunity this weekend, and we are going to be motivated for the match."

The Wildcats (7-6 overall, 0-3 Pacific 10 Conference) enter their match against the Bruins losing six of their last seven matches to fall to the bottom half of the Pac-10.

"We have lost six of our last seven matches, but beating the No. 1 team will erase all of those losses," Arizona senior Steven Capriati said. "It is the first match of the second half of our season, and we want to start out with a win."

With the challenge of playing two Top 20 teams on the road, Wright said it is important to focus not only on victory but on the continual improvement of UA's play.

"Everyone puts a lot of emphasis on winning, which causes you to lose focus on the benefit of playing well," Wright said. "Everyone wants to come out and play well and give themselves a chance to win. There is nothing magical about it."

That is going to be easier said than done for Arizona against the Bruins.

UCLA enters its match against the Wildcats riding an eight-match win streak that dates back to early February.

Arizona junior captain Tom Lloyd said no one truly knows how talented the UA team is.

"Our record is not apparent of the skill and potential on this team," Lloyd said. "We definitely don't have much room for error this weekend, but I know that anyone on this team can defeat anyone if they play their best tennis. I am sure of that."

With UA struggling in conference this season, Lloyd said that if the postseason started today, Arizona would fall short of an at-large bid.

"It is just like the basketball tournament. The top 35 or so qualify, and the rest of the teams are weighed based on quality wins. Coming away with a victory this weekend would definitely help our postseason chances."

Arizona's challenge begins tomorrow.