Alexa Corse – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com Breaking news from the Farm since 1892 Sat, 18 May 2019 07:19:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://stanforddaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-DailyIcon-CardinalRed.png?w=32 Alexa Corse – The Stanford Daily https://stanforddaily.com 32 32 204779320 Women’s tennis falls to undefeated Florida https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/19/womens-tennis-falls-to-undefeated-florida/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/19/womens-tennis-falls-to-undefeated-florida/#respond Sun, 19 Feb 2017 20:44:03 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1123311 No. 5 Stanford (4-1) came up short against No. 1 Florida (8-0) on Sunday, falling 4-1 in the latest chapter of the fiercest rivalry in college women’s tennis.

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No. 5 Stanford (4-1) came up short against No. 1 Florida (8-0) on Sunday, falling 4-1 in the latest chapter of the fiercest rivalry in college women’s tennis.

The Cardinal finished 1-1 in their first two matches against top-10 teams this season. On Friday, Stanford defeated OSU 4-1 in Orlando, a rematch of last year’s NCAA final. Two days later, the Gators fended off the Cardinal’s chances to secure the momentum in Gainesville, Florida. 

Florida claimed the doubles point after jumping to early leads on two courts. On court three, sophomore Caroline Lampl and freshman Emma Higuchi fell 6-1 to Florida’s Josie Kuhlman and Belinda Woolcock.

On court one, senior Taylor Davidson and freshman Emily Arbuthnott nearly had a comeback after being down 0-4. But Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan fended off Davidson’s formidable net presence, clinching 6-3 to put the Gators ahead 1-0 in the dual match.

Once singles began, No. 45 Ingrid Neel put Florida ahead 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-3 win over No. 38 Caroline Doyle on court two. However, Stanford either had the lead or was in tight battles on the other five courts.

On court six, Higuchi was relentless. The freshman dispatched No. 41 Spencer Liang 6-2, 6-1, Stanford’s sole point of the dual match.

On court four, No. 75 Lampl faced off against Austin, who is 2016 SEC player of the year and earned a winning record as Florida’s No. 1 singles player during the 2016 and 2015 seasons. Lampl won the first set 6-2, but Austin took the second set 6-1.

In the third set, Lampl rebounded from a 0-3 deficit as she won five consecutive games, including crucially breaking Austin’s serve at 40-40, 3-3. Lampl had two point match points at 5-4, but was broken at 40-40 when Austin called a powerful, inside-out forehand just wide. Austin closed the set 7-5, bringing the Gators one singles match shy of victory.

The Gators kept the momentum as Stanford’s Davidson and Lord each found themselves down two breaks at 0-3 in the third sets. No. 40 Woolcock outlasted Davidson 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 on court one, clinching the Gators’ victory. Florida extended its winning streak at home to 163 matches, topped only by Stanford’s 184-match winning streak at home from 1999-2011.

In a good sign for Stanford, freshman Arbuthnott battled closely with Florida’s standout sophomore Josie Kuhlman, who is ranked No. 19 nationally. The match was suspended since the Gators had already claimed four points. However, Arbuthnott, ranked No. 59, held on despite losing the first set 7-6 (4). In a pressure-filled moment serving at 40-40, 2-4 in the second set, Arbuthnott came out on top. She then evened the score to 4-4 before the match was suspended with Kuhlman up 5-4.

Stanford next hosts No. 12 Vanderbilt on Sunday, also expected to be among the Cardinal’s most competitive matches this season.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis thwarts familiar foe OSU https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/17/womens-tennis-thwarts-familiar-foe-osu/ https://stanforddaily.com/2017/02/17/womens-tennis-thwarts-familiar-foe-osu/#respond Sat, 18 Feb 2017 04:46:49 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1123305 No. 5 Stanford women’s tennis (4-0) rebounded after a slow start against No. 6 Oklahoma State (8-2) on Friday evening, winning 4-1 in a fiercely contested rematch of last year’s NCAA championship.

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No. 5 Stanford women’s tennis (4-0) rebounded after a slow start against No. 6 Oklahoma State (8-2) on Friday evening, winning 4-1 in a fiercely contested rematch of last year’s NCAA championship.

As she did in the 2016 NCAA final, senior Taylor Davidson yet again clinched the Cardinal’s victory over the Cowgirls with a three-set singles win. Playing at the No. 1 spot, Davidson defeated OSU’s Viktoriya Lushkova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. The match, held at the new USTA National Campus in Orlando, FL, was the Cardinal’s first competition against a top-10 team this season and comes just prior to a match against No. 1 Florida on Sunday.

“It’s only our fourth match of the year,” head coach Lele Forood told ESPN3. “Moving forward, I think we have a lot of confidence right now.”

Oklahoma State won the doubles point at the start of the match, despite Stanford momentarily holding a 4-3 lead in all three doubles matches. Sophomore Melissa Lord and senior Caroline Doyle took Stanford’s only doubles win with a 6-4 win on court two, but OSU quickly countered with a 7-6(4) victory on court three over freshman Emma Higuchi and sophomore Caroline Lampl.

On court one, senior Taylor Davidson and freshman Emily Arbuthnott failed to convert a match point at 6-5, 40-all, sending the deciding doubles match to a tiebreaker. OSU’s No. 1 doubles converted their first match point, serving at 6-5 in the tiebreak, so the Cowgirls had a 1-0 lead as singles began.

Stanford’s Lampl and Arbuthnott took the first sets on courts four and five, respectively. However, Oklahoma still had the momentum after winning the first sets on the other four courts.

Arbuthnott notched Stanford’s first point with a 6-3, 6-0 win on Court 5. Next, Lampl put Stanford ahead 2-1 by defeating Aliona Bolsova 6-4, 7-6(3). Lampl narrowly avoided splitting sets, defending three set points with Bolsova serving at 6-5, 40-15 in the second set.

“My coaches told me just go for it, and whatever happens happen,” Lampl told ESPN3. “That helped me get my confidence back.”

Lord, who had 3-5 record in third-set matches last year as a freshman, put her experience in hard-fought matches to use on Friday evening. Lord split sets 2-6, 6-3, after breaking Vladica Babic’s serve early in the second set. She then dominated with a 6-0 third set, putting Stanford one singles win shy of victory.

Minutes later, Stanford clinched tiebreakers in the second sets on courts two and six, forcing third sets. Davidson was also battling in a third set on court one, on serve at 2-3.

Although Stanford led 3-1 in the team tally, OSU had the potential to comeback in any of the three ongoing three-setters. However, Lushkova appeared to be favoring her left quad or hamstring and suffered a string of unforced errors. With Lushkova serving at 40-40, 3-3, Davidson broke serve to go up 4-3.

Davidson and Lushkova held serve for the next two games. On her second serve at 5-4, 30-30, Davidson approached after Lushkova hit a short return, but then dropped a backhand volley into the net. At 30-40, Lushkova’s return sailed long, giving Davidson match point at 40-40 due to this season’s new rule of no-add scoring for singles matches.

Doyle and Higuchi were in the lead on courts two and six, respectively, when their matches were suspended because Stanford had already clinched the victory.

Stanford next faces top-ranked Florida on Sunday at 9 a.m. in Gainesville, FL. The teams continue a six-year tradition of hosting each other during the regular season, as they have developed a rivalry since the Cardinal defeated the Gators 4-3 in the 2010 NCAA Championship.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Goal-oriented: Maddie Bauer https://stanforddaily.com/2016/11/17/goal-oriented-maddie-bauer/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/11/17/goal-oriented-maddie-bauer/#respond Thu, 17 Nov 2016 10:30:01 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1118394 Maddie Bauer was ready to score.

She was standing just feet away from the UCLA goalkeeper as Stanford teammate Andi Sullivan prepared a corner kick. A senior, Bauer has specialized in playing center-back over her four years on the Farm. Naturally, as a defender, she does not get many chances to take a shot on goal. So when the opportunity finally came, in the 103rd minute of the UCLA match last month, Bauer was determined to take it.

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Maddie Bauer was ready to score.

She was standing just feet away from the UCLA goalkeeper as Stanford teammate Andi Sullivan prepared a corner kick. A senior, Bauer has specialized in playing center-back over her four years on the Farm. Naturally, as a defender, she does not get many chances to take a shot on goal. So when the opportunity finally came, in the 103rd minute of the UCLA match last month, Bauer was determined to take it.

“It came to my left foot [after the corner kick], and I just kicked as hard as I can,” she recalled. “I was just happy to end it for us. That memory of having a game-winner as my first goal was awesome.”

Bauer finally got her first collegiate goal, in the 3-2 double-overtime victory over UCLA in early October. As the regular season has wound down and the postseason approaches, Bauer has some final opportunities to extend her already lengthy record of contributions to Stanford women’s soccer, and she is ready to make the most of it.

“Every season is different to me, and this one is particularly special because I’m a senior,” Bauer said. “This is kind of my last shot.”  

Over the last four years, Bauer has made some key plays for Stanford women’s soccer. However, it’s less often that her contributions show up on a scoreboard, as the fact that she has only one collegiate goal suggests. This characteristic is closely related to the position Bauer plays on the field: center-back. As one of two center-backs who act as the last line of defense before the goalkeeper, Bauer’s role is twofold. First, stop goals. Second, get the ball to the offense.

Stanford’s defense is a remarkable force: Since September 2005, Stanford has held opponents to two or fewer goals in all but one of over 270 matches. The Cardinal’s strength in the backfield is crucial to their success overall, and Bauer is a leader in that effort.

Bauer has started in over 80 games for Stanford, playing at least 90 minutes in all but one game so far this season. Stanford women’s soccer team is currently ranked in the top five nationally, and Bauer has been a consistent factor in the team’s impressive season.

“Maddie has been a major contributor to our team’s success during the past four years,” head coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “This year, Maddie has emerged as a vocal leader and is playing the best soccer of her career.”

Bauer is not exactly an unsung hero: She has won honors such as being selected to the All-Pac-12 team and the NSCAA regional first team multiple times. But while the center-back might lay the groundwork for the goals that get featured in the highlight reel, she herself is not the one scoring.

Although primarily defensive, the center-back position is analogous in some ways to a quarterback. Typically tall (Bauer is 5-foot-8, which helps for winning balls in the air), determined and with a good eye for strategy, a center-back often makes decisions about how the team will try to move the ball down the field. It’s almost as if Bauer is calling plays.

“I was always very vocal,” she explained. “I have no problem telling people where they should be on the field…Our coach, Paul, has given me the liberty to kind of decide what we do with the ball and how we set up our plays.”

As a senior, Bauer has embraced taking a larger leadership role on the team. She said that she has enjoyed supporting the underclassmen just beginning their own Stanford journeys and that doing so gives her some nostalgia in her final year on the Farm.  

Bauer emphasizes leading by example, and she has certainly done so in her academics. An international relations major with a 3.56 GPA, Bauer was named one of 30 women’s soccer candidates for the nationwide Senior CLASS Award in October. She is also a two-time Pac-12 All-Academic honoree and was the only Pac-12 athlete to be a 2015 NSCAA Scholar All-American.

“Coming out of high school, I knew I didn’t want to go somewhere where I was only focused on soccer,” Bauer said. “I wanted to give myself a challenge, and Stanford provided that.”

Bauer’s determination has served her well, both on and off the field, in her Stanford career. She and teammate Megan Turner took advantage of the opportunity to study abroad through Stanford’s program in Florence during their junior year. The soccer team does not have matches during winter quarter, so the two teammates were able to go abroad without missing any competition.

Even in Italy, however, soccer was never far from Bauer’s mind. The teammates made time in their day to train, finding public fields behind Renaissance cathedrals and starting pickup matches.

“It was awesome to get to play a sport that we love in a country that, at the time, was very unfamiliar to us,” Turner recalled.

Back on campus, Bauer remembers Italy fondly. But now it’s soccer season once again, and she and her teammates are focused on their goals for the year.

With just a few games left to play, Bauer is glad to have crossed “scoring a goal” off her Stanford bucket list.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s soccer holds off UCLA in double overtime https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/10/womens-soccer-holds-off-ucla-in-double-overtime/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/10/womens-soccer-holds-off-ucla-in-double-overtime/#respond Mon, 10 Oct 2016 07:08:42 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1117769 No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (11-1-1, 4-1-0 Pac-12) withstood a fierce effort from No. 10 UCLA (9-3-1, 3-1-1), winning 3-2 in double overtime on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles.

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No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (11-1-1, 4-1-0 Pac-12) withstood a fierce effort from No. 10 UCLA (9-3-1, 3-1-1), winning 3-2 in double overtime on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles.

The Cardinal had the offensive advantage throughout the match, with a final tally of 19-12 in shots and 8-3 in corner kicks. However, UCLA pushed the match into overtime with a goal in the 86th minute. After a closely contested back-and-forth that stretched into double overtime, senior defender Maddie Bauer scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick from junior midfielder Andi Sullivan.

“The team played with great determination and won a tough match at UCLA,” head coach Paul Ratcliffe said. “Maddie Bauer has been a strong leader for our team all season and she came up big in overtime.”

The victory over UCLA comes after a rare loss for Stanford, which fell 3-0 to No. 7 USC on Thursday, although Stanford controlled possession for much of the match.

The loss to USC snapped some of Stanford’s most incredible streaks, including 269 games of giving up no more than two goals and 21 consecutive wins against Pac-12 teams. Last Thursday’s loss and Sunday’s fierce contest with UCLA demonstrate the relentless pressure that top-level teams can exert over a 90-or-more-minute match.

The Bruins started out hot on Sunday, forcing Stanford’s senior goalkeeper Jane Campbell to make a dramatic save in the sixth minute that kept the scoreboard blank. UCLA gained the lead in the 12th minute with a goal from Amber Munerlyn, which put the Cardinal behind in a match for only the second time this season (the USC loss was the first).

But less than a minute later, Sullivan countered with an equalizing goal off an assist from senior forward Megan Turner. Stanford controlled possession for the rest of the half, taking more than twice as many shots (9-4) and six corner kicks while the Bruins had none.

However, Stanford did not actually secure the lead until the 63rd minute, with a goal from sophomore midfielder Michelle Xiao to put the Cardinal up 2-1. Junior Kyra Carusa provided the assist. With seven assists so far this season, Carusa is the team leader in that category and has already surpassed the total of six assists she completed last year as a redshirt freshman.

Campbell made a series of big saves in the final 20 minutes of regulation, but with only four minutes left the Bruins tied the score at 2-2. Both goalkeepers made key saves during the two overtime periods.

Finally, a corner kick by Andi Sullivan set up Stanford’s winning goal in the 103rd minute. After Sullivan sent in the corner kick, the ball was contested among several players in front of UCLA’s goal. Bauer got ahold of it, scoring the game-winning goal for Stanford and her first for the season.

Stanford has held the top spot in the NSCAA Coaches Poll, the TopDrawerSoccer rankings and the Soccer America rankings for three consecutive weeks. The Cardinal still has a chance of maintaining its No. 1 rank after its recent loss, since No. 2 Florida State was limited to a 1-1 draw against Syracuse on Sunday.

Last week, Sullivan and Campbell were selected to attend the full U.S. Women’s National team camp, with a shot at playing for the national team in two matches during October. Only one other collegiate player, forward Ashley Hatch from BYU, received an invitation to the training camp.

Stanford next travels to Corvallis, Oregon, where it will face off against Oregon State on Friday at 7 p.m.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s soccer remains unbeaten with dominant win over Washington https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/03/womens-soccer-remains-unbeaten-with-dominant-win-over-washington/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/10/03/womens-soccer-remains-unbeaten-with-dominant-win-over-washington/#respond Tue, 04 Oct 2016 06:17:32 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1117544 No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (10-0-1, 3-0 Pac-12) beat Washington (5-6-1, 0-3 Pac-12) handily on Sunday afternoon at home, winning 3-0 despite playing down one player for most of the game.

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No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (10-0-1, 3-0 Pac-12) beat Washington (5-6-1, 0-3) handily on Sunday afternoon at home, winning 3-0 despite playing down one player for most of the game. 

Stanford, CA -- September 29, 2016. Stanford beat Washington State 2-1 at Cagan Stadium.
Stanford senior goalkeeper Jane Campbell (above) received a red card in the 10th minute, causing the Cardinal to compete with only 10 players on the field. Even with the handicap, Stanford dominated play and won 3-0. (LYNDSAY RADNEDGE/Stanford Athletics)

The Cardinal had to compete with only 10 players on the field (instead of the typical 11) after senior goalkeeper Jane Campbell received a red card in the 10th minute. Despite being outnumbered on the field for the remaining 80 minutes, the Cardinal were dominant on offense and maintained their undefeated record.

The red card was given after a collision between Campbell and the Huskies’ Kimberly Keever. Campbell had moved off the goal line to defend against a breakaway by Keever. Just before she connected with Campbell, Keever fell and came into contact with a sliding Campbell. The play was ruled a penalty kick and Campbell received a red card, meaning not only that she was removed from the game but also that the Cardinal could not put an 11th player back on the field.

The Cardinal had the benefit of already being up 1-0 when Campbell was taken out of play, thanks to an early goal from senior forward Megan Turner in the third minute, assisted by forward Kyra Carusa. Carusa assisted the Cardinal’s second goal as well, which freshman midfielder Tierna Davidson scored just 24 seconds into the second half. Davidson rocketed the ball from the top of the 18-yard penalty box into the top right corner of the goal.

Before Stanford extended its lead, however, Washington nearly tied the match on the penalty kick given along with Campbell’s red card. Goalkeeper Alison Jahansouz, a redshirt sophomore, was put in for the penalty kick after Campbell left the field. Jahansouz made a remarkable save against the forceful shot from the Huskies’ Shannon Simon, diving to her lower left side and blocking the ball with her hands. Jahansouz made a second save later in the match.

The drama of the match continued into the second half. Washington scored an own goal at the 59th minute, with the unusual mistake extending Stanford’s lead to 3-0. From the center of the field, Turner fired the ball across and toward the goal. As the Huskies’ Domini Bond-Flasza attempted to intercept Turner’s angled pass, the ball ricocheted off Bond-Flasza’s foot. It sailed over the Huskies’ goalkeeper to the back of the net, notching the Cardinal’s third and final goal of the day.

Stanford is at the top in multiple national polls and displayed that strength on Sunday, dictating on both offense and defense. Stanford had 7 shots on goal, while Washington had only 2. Stanford also had 7 corner kicks compared to Washington’s 3.

The favorable statistics are remarkable given that Stanford had only 10 players. They also show that the Cardinal were more in control than in their prior match, a 2-1 victory over Washington State on Thursday. While the Cardinal defeated Washington State, the Cougars took 14 shots compared to Stanford’s 10.

The Cardinal’s dominant performance bodes well for their match against No. 12 USC at 4 p.m. on Thursday in Los Angeles. The Trojans (9-2-0, 3-0) are undefeated at home (4-0), which could be an interesting challenge for Stanford since the Cardinal have played their last nine matches at home.

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s soccer fends off Cougars with Campbell saves https://stanforddaily.com/2016/09/30/womens-soccer-fends-off-cougars-with-campbell-saves/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/09/30/womens-soccer-fends-off-cougars-with-campbell-saves/#respond Fri, 30 Sep 2016 08:42:21 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1117457 No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (9-0-1, 2-0 Pac-12) defeated No. 25 Washington State (5-4-1, 0-2 Pac-12) by a score of 2-1 on Thursday night, as senior goalie Jane Campbell made dramatic saves to protect the Cardinal’s lead.

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No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (9-0-1, 2-0 Pac-12) defeated Washington State (5-4-1, 0-2 Pac-12) 2-1 on Thursday night, as senior goalie Jane Campbell made dramatic saves to protect the Cardinal’s lead.

The game was closely contested, and, particularly in the second half, Washington State was able to take the ball into Stanford’s half of the field. Each team had opportunities to take the lead, but Stanford performed at the crucial moments to clinch the victory at home.

“Washington State had a great game and created a lot of problems for us,” said head coach Paul Ratcliffe. “But Jane was amazing with some big saves, and then the two goals we scored were incredible too.”

Junior midfielder Andi Sullivan scored the first goal of the night in the 63rd minute as she broke away from the Cougars’ defenders through the midfield.

Sophomore forward Averie Collins put Stanford up 2-0 in the 78th minute, after an elaborate setup from sophomore defender Tegan McGrady and junior forward Kyra Carusa. Sprinting toward the corner of the field, McGrady left-footed the ball back into the penalty box area. At the left goal post, Carusa flipped the ball between her legs and behind her so it passed in front of the goal. There, Collins shot the ball high and straight ahead for the game-winning goal.

Collins scored the game-winning goal against Washington State last season as well, in double overtime.

Campbell had an unusually busy night defending the goal for the Cardinal. She notched six saves, five of them during the second half. Washington State goalkeeper Ella Dederick had four saves.

Morgan Weaver scored the Cougars’ only goal in the 88th minute, left-footing the ball 18 yards into the goal.

“Big takeaway from the game would probably be, we’ve got to stay in it for 90 minutes,” Campbell said. “They could’ve tied the game.”

Campbell also got some crucial help from sophomore defender Alana Cook, who blocked a shot at the goal line in the 59th minute.

But Campbell said she enjoyed some moments during the challenging night, particularly when she defended two back-to-back shots from Washington State.

“I haven’t seen [back-to-back shots] quite as much this year, because our back line has done a good job,” Campbell said. “Washington State put up a good fight. It was just fun to see, and it’s part of the job.”

It’s highly unusual for Stanford to trail its opponent in number of shots or corner kicks, but Washington State managed to get the upper hand in those statistics on Thursday. The Cougars took 14 shots — 10 in the second half — compared to 10 in total from the Cardinal. Washington State also had 6 corner kicks, three more than Stanford.

Stanford next hosts the University of Washington on Sunday at 2 p.m., concluding the Cardinal’s nine-game homestand.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s soccer takes on familiar foe this week at Cagan https://stanforddaily.com/2016/09/28/womens-soccer-takes-on-familiar-foe-this-week-at-cagan/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/09/28/womens-soccer-takes-on-familiar-foe-this-week-at-cagan/#respond Thu, 29 Sep 2016 03:28:54 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1117363 No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer (8-0-1, 1-0 Pac-12) faces a familiar rival on Thursday, as the team hosts No. 52 Washington State (5-3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) at 7 p.m. at Cagan Stadium.

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No. 1 Stanford women’s soccer  (8-0-1, 1-0 Pac-12) faces a familiar rival on Thursday, as the team hosts No. 52 Washington State (5-3-1, 0-1 Pac-12) at 7 p.m. at Cagan Stadium.

The matchup brings back memories of last season’s thrilling game between the two teams, which Stanford won in double overtime. The Cardinal are well-positioned to crush any attempt the Cougars make at revenge, as the historically top-ranked Stanford program appears even more formidable this season. Stanford is currently ranked No. 1 in multiple national polls and, unlike last year, has the home-field advantage against Washington State.

Washington State kept the pressure on Stanford in last season’s matchup, but junior Andi Sullivan said she thinks the team is now even better prepared to neutralize an opponent who tries to dictate play.

“I’m looking forward to setting the pace of the game, rather than feeling like we have to defend them,” said Sullivan, a midfielder and candidate for the MAC Hermann Trophy, collegiate soccer’s top honor. “This year, with how our season is going, I think we’re prepared to take it to them.”

Stanford has dominated so far this season, enjoying a nine-game home stand that will conclude when Stanford hosts Washington on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Cardinal have scored two or more goals in eight of nine games, and have not been behind in a game at any point this season.

Last weekend, Stanford handled consistent pressure from Oregon and, in the second half, scored three goals in an eight-minute span to defeat the Ducks 3-0. Washington State is coming off a closely contested 1-0 loss to No. 42 Colorado, in which the Cougars had seven shots on goal but failed to score.

Uniquely for Stanford student-athletes, however, the game on Thursday marks a new phase in the season: Classes began on Monday for the 2016-2017 academic year. Stanford organizes its academic year on the quarter system, so fall quarter classes start approximately a month later than at most universities. The later start means that Stanford soccer players may sometimes get to play nearly half their season while still on summer break academically.

However, beginning this week, the team must be able to balance soccer and school in order to finish the season well. Sullivan said that while the start of classes is an added responsibility, she and her teammates also look forward to getting back into their full college routine.

“I think sometimes it can provide a good balance, to have a break from soccer outside of practice,” she said. “So when you come to practice you can be locked in, and then you leave it behind and you go focus on your academics. I think that can be energizing.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Q&A with U.S. equestrian Lucy Davis ’15 on her Road to Rio https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/31/qa-with-lucy-davis-15-on-her-road-to-rio/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/31/qa-with-lucy-davis-15-on-her-road-to-rio/#respond Tue, 31 May 2016 07:59:35 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115968 Lucy Davis ‘15 has reached the height of international equestrian competition. Davis is among the 10 Americans selected to participate in the trials for the 2016 U.S. Olympic show jumping team, of which five will make the cut for Rio. Although fellow team members Beezie Madden, McLain Ward and Kent Farrington are almost universally considered locks […]

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Lucy Davis ‘15 has reached the height of international equestrian competition. Davis is among the 10 Americans selected to participate in the trials for the 2016 U.S. Olympic show jumping team, of which five will make the cut for Rio. Although fellow team members Beezie Madden, McLain Ward and Kent Farrington are almost universally considered locks for Rio, Davis still has a strong chance at claiming one of the final two Olympic spots.

But Davis’ achievements extend beyond the equestrian arena. Davis studied full-time at Stanford and majored in architecture while also riding professionally since her freshman year on The Farm. In 2012, she began competing with the horse she currently rides in competitions, Barron. That same year, Davis and Barron broke out onto the world stage with a first-place finish at the 2013 Grand Prix in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Daily spoke with Davis as part of its Road to Rio Olympic coverage about Barron, her training regime for Rio and what it was like balancing it all when she was still a student at Stanford.

The Stanford Daily (TSD): Can you talk about making the shortlist for the Olympics? What has the qualifying process been like?

Lucy Davis (LD): Two years ago, at the World Championships in Normandy, I was on the [U.S.] team and we got bronze. That’s when I realized that my essentially lifelong dream and goal of going to the Olympics could be a possibility. Since then, I have been focusing to peak, ideally, at the right time.

TSD: You participated in the Olympic trials in 2012 for the London Olympics as well, right?

LD: Yes. I was 10th, so I was still considered in the top 10. [The top five qualifiers went on to compete in London.] Four years ago, I had a different horse. He was extremely talented and had a huge heart, but the horse I have now is a once-in-a-lifetime horse, as they say. I would say it’s my best shot this year [to be among the final top five qualifiers for the U.S. team].

TSD: What’s your new horse, Barron, like?

LD: He has a very particular personality. We have to work together to compromise a lot. Other sports in the Olympics are just individual or team, but to be working with an animal that’s so unpredictable is a challenge — but it’s also super rewarding.

In the competition arena, he’s mostly business, which is lucky. At home, he can be a bit of a punk, I would say. He will very easily spin you off. He’s just got a lot of little idiosyncrasies. Basically, we have to have earplugs in him at all times, because any odd noise and he’s gone.

TSD: What is a typical day of training for you like, now that you are riding full-time?

LD: I’m based in northern Germany. I’m at the stable around 7:30 or 8 a.m. every morning. I ride usually around six horses, until about noon. After lunch, I usually do some sort of physical training. I like running and weights. I do a lot of yoga too, because the pounding on your back can get pretty rough.

Another thing that’s pretty unique about our sport is that it’s coed. Being a small girl, depending on the horse, can be an advantage. But I’m physically not as strong as some 6-foot dude, so I have to supplement a lot more with my fitness.

TSD: How does training full-time compare to what you did while at Stanford?

LD: At Stanford, it was a lot more hectic and a lot less sleep. But I’m lucky — because of Stanford, I was able to maintain almost the same schedule. The Red Barn is so close on campus. Most of my friends don’t go to university, because it takes time and energy away from their riding.

With the Red Barn, I was able to ride every morning. I usually rode three or four horses, then I would go to class. In the afternoons I could go to the gym or run around campus with friends. And you know, social life is easy because it’s all there [on campus]. Stanford basically let me do it all, which is why I miss it so much. Don’t ever leave!

TSD: What was it like to major in architecture at Stanford?

LD: It’s within civil and environmental engineering. It’s an awesome major. It wasn’t ideal for the traveling, because you can’t really bring your models on Delta. I tried to arrange my schedule so I could take studio classes when I wasn’t traveling as much.

TSD: An engineering major? That’s pretty intense.

LD: Yeah, it was intense. But it balanced a lot of my interests. I got to do creative design, art history and a lot of math and science as well. I got to take a lot of [environmental engineering] sustainability courses.

TSD: In hindsight, did you get anything out of your time at Stanford that you weren’t necessarily expecting?

LD: I’ve been riding my whole life and balancing it with school. In high school, I was basically M.I.A. most weekends for competitions. What I was not expecting from Stanford was, like I said earlier, to really be able to do it all.

A lot of young riders ask me about my experience. I always, weirdly, did better when I had everything going on. When I was able to go to classes, ride, hang out with friends, I felt more balanced and I always seemed to perform really well in my riding.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Anatomy of a title: Zhao’s return helps ignite championship run https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/25/anatomy-of-a-title-zhaos-return-helps-ignite-championship-run/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/25/anatomy-of-a-title-zhaos-return-helps-ignite-championship-run/#respond Wed, 25 May 2016 09:40:46 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115674 On a Saturday night late in February, Stanford head coach Lele Forood called her team together for a special announcement. It had been a rough start to the season for the Cardinal, whose two matches against top-25 teams had resulted in losses. Having started the season ranked seventh in the country before quickly falling to […]

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On a Saturday night late in February, Stanford head coach Lele Forood called her team together for a special announcement. It had been a rough start to the season for the Cardinal, whose two matches against top-25 teams had resulted in losses. Having started the season ranked seventh in the country before quickly falling to 16th, the team was getting ready to take on arch-rival No. 7 Florida the next day.

If the Cardinal did not feel at full strength, there was a reason: Carol Zhao, Stanford’s No. 1 player, had taken a break from collegiate play for the professional circuit during winter quarter. Zhao was not expected to rejoin Stanford’s lineup for another month. Meanwhile, the Cardinal had to contend with the Gators in just over 12 hours.

Forood surprised the team with welcome news: Zhao — who that day had finished as doubles runner-up at a $25,000 professional tournament in Rancho Santa Fe, California — was hustling back to the Farm to join Stanford’s lineup versus the Gators.

“We were all super fired up, because we found out the night before [that Zhao would rejoin the lineup],” junior Taylor Davidson said. “I think that momentum carried a lot into the match, because all of sudden our lineup was shifted and we were really confident.”

Zhao defeated Florida’s No. 12 Brooke Austin 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, and the Stanford squad notched its biggest win yet, joining forces to pull off a dramatic 4-3 upset.

Zhao, a junior, established herself as an “X factor” for Stanford since her arrival on the Farm, playing primarily at the No. 3 spot as a freshman during the 2013-14 season. Zhao reached a final national ranking of No. 22 in her freshman season.

As a sophomore, Zhao notched a 21-2 dual match record while playing at Stanford’s No. 1 spot and was the 2015 NCAA singles runner-up, earning a final national ranking of No. 2. Playing as Stanford’s No. 1 for latter half of this season, Zhao defeated six top-25 collegiate opponents and notched an 11-3 record. (Zhao is currently the No. 25-ranked collegiate player nationally, although that ranking may have been impacted by her absence for the first half of the season.)

Zhao arrived on the Farm in 2013 — along with blue-chips Davidson and Caroline Doyle — as part of one of Stanford’s best recruiting classes in recent history. The trio became the team’s core over the past three years, taking over the top three spots in the lineup their sophomore year.

In junior tennis, she rose to No. 9 in the world and won the Australian Open junior doubles in 2013. She is poised to extend her tennis success beyond the Farm as well: Zhao has notched wins over three top-100 WTA players and made her Fed Cup debut in doubles play on Canada’s team versus Belarus in February.

Although she is a junior, Zhao plans to pursue a professional tennis career and will not return to Stanford for the 2016-15 season.

While Zhao’s individual results are outstanding, she has distinguished herself by her ability to support the success of the team as a whole. This season, Stanford went 14-1 when Zhao was in the lineup.

“Having Carol back is awesome,” freshman Caroline Lampl said. “We were doing pretty well throughout the season, but honestly having her back is like having another family member back.”

It’s a testament to Stanford’s team ethos that Zhao’s return to the lineup was so successful. Early in the season, local journalists asked head coach Lele Forood if she worried about Zhao’s return upsetting the team’s dynamic: What about possible tension between teammates, since Zhao’s return inevitably knocked another Cardinal out of the six-person lineup? Who would partner together in doubles, since Zhao’s former doubles partner Taylor Davidson was now enjoying an outstanding doubles streak with teammate Caroline Doyle?

Those doubts were silenced when Zhao made her surprise return to the Farm for the dual match against top-ranked Florida — and the Stanford squad showed the first sign of momentum that culminated in a national title.

“Getting her back, we were able to get the wins we needed to get in the top 16, finally,” said head coach Lele Forood. “She’s a great player. She’s a great leader.”

Zhao suffered a rare loss, 6-4, 7-5, to Oklahoma State’s No. 46 Katarina Adamovic in the NCAA final. However, her ability to keep constant pressure on Adamovic until the very end helped keep Stanford in the match. Despite Zhao’s loss, her Stanford teammates rallied to clinch the program’s first NCAA Championship since 2012 in a thrilling 4-3 victory.

Stanford’s ability to clinch a national title, even without a win from Zhao, indicates the well-roundedness of the team which Zhao and her cohort of fellow juniors have styled over the last three years.

“She is such a role model,” Lampl said of Zhao. “As an underclassman, and for everyone in general, can learn from her. She’s just a great person to have around. We love her.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Anatomy of a title: Freshmen Lord and Lampl earn key wins https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/25/anatomy-of-a-title-freshmen-lord-and-lampl-earn-key-wins/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/25/anatomy-of-a-title-freshmen-lord-and-lampl-earn-key-wins/#respond Wed, 25 May 2016 09:38:34 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115682 Stanford women’s tennis had more questions than certainty regarding its lineup going into the 2015-16 season, an unusual situation given the Cardinal’s long-established role as the standard-bearer of the sport. The issue of openings in the lineup was made particularly acute by the temporary absence of Carol Zhao, Stanford’s usual No. 1, for the opening […]

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Stanford women’s tennis had more questions than certainty regarding its lineup going into the 2015-16 season, an unusual situation given the Cardinal’s long-established role as the standard-bearer of the sport.

The issue of openings in the lineup was made particularly acute by the temporary absence of Carol Zhao, Stanford’s usual No. 1, for the opening half of the season.

With as many as three spots up for grabs (out of a six-person lineup), the incoming class of freshmen was situated to play an outsized role in the team’s performance this season. The team could draw confidence from the fact that three of its freshmen were blue-chip recruits, among the top-25 in their high school senior classes: Melissa Lord, Caroline Lampl and Kimberly Yee.

“I think we knew as a team that we were a little young,” head coach Lele Forood said. “We had tremendous confidence that [our freshmen] were going to be to be really outstanding players for us.”

The freshmen rose to the challenge. And as Stanford claimed its 18th NCAA title in a dramatic 4-3 victory over Oklahoma State on Tuesday, it was the freshmen’s contributions that made it all possible.

“We needed our freshmen,” Foorod said after Stanford had claimed the NCAA Championship. “Their learning curve had to go up substantially this year, and clearly that happened.”

With Zhao’s return to the team’s lineup leaving two spots open for freshmen, Lampl and Lord ultimately assumed the roles of Stanford’s usual No. 5 and No. 6 respectively, as the regular season wound to a close. In the postseason, the duo took their already impressive play to a new level.

Lampl and Lord were the only Cardinal players who went undefeated during the title run. Lampl went 5-0 at the No. 5 spot (her first round match was uncompleted), while Lord followed suit with a 6-0 record at No. 6. Given that Stanford’s NCAA tournament run included four nail-biting 4-3 victories, every win was crucial.

Lampl thrived in the spotlight in the semifinals against defending NCAA champion Vanderbilt, when she clinched Stanford’s victory with a dramatic 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 win at the No. 5 spot. The win over Vanderbilt’s Fernanda Contreras (a fellow freshman standout) marked the seventh time Lampl clinched a dual match for Stanford — twice as many as any of her other teammates.

“We had a rough start to the year,” Lampl said after Stanford defeated Vanderbilt and secured its spot in the NCAA final. “It didn’t look good at first, but we worked so incredibly hard. We used those two losses against Vanderbilt and Ole Miss at the beginning of the year to motivate us.”

Lord handily dispatched her opponents in straight sets in three of six rounds during the NCAA tournament, including her 6-1, 6-0 rout over Michigan’s Teona Velehorschi in the quarterfinal.

Lord’s three other NCAA matches went to three sets, but Lord never lost more than two games in the third set during the tournament.

In the Round of 16 against No. 2 seed Florida, Lord defeated No. 63-ranked Anna Danilina 3-6, 7-6 (0) 6-2, which evened the dual match score at 3-3, and thus made possible junior Taylor Davidson’s clinching singles win. Lord’s win over Danilina further demonstrated that the young Cardinal brought forth her best game for the postseason, since Lord had fallen to Danilina twice during the regular season.

In the NCAA final, both freshmen forced third sets and notched victories that evened the dual match score at 3-3, rendering moot Oklahoma’s State early 3-1 lead. Forood said that, despite the deficit, she was always confident that the two freshmen would yet again find a way to win.

“We had lost the first sets at Nos. 5 and 6, but I really felt good that we were going to get ourselves back into those matches,” Forood said.

Throughout the season, Stanford’s freshmen laid the groundwork for the team’s victories. In the NCAA final, the youngest Cardinal players did so again — on their biggest stage yet.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis upsets defending champion Vanderbilt to face Oklahoma State for 18th title https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/23/womens-tennis-upsets-defending-champion-vanderbilt-to-face-oklahoma-state-for-18th-title/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/23/womens-tennis-upsets-defending-champion-vanderbilt-to-face-oklahoma-state-for-18th-title/#respond Tue, 24 May 2016 02:01:36 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115592 When Caroline Lampl found herself in position to clinch a semifinal victory for Stanford (19-5, 9-1 Pac-12) over defending NCAA champion Vanderbilt, she knew exactly what to do.  After all, Lampl had already clinched six times for Stanford — twice as many as any of her teammates this season. Lampl also led the team in winning three-setters, having […]

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When Caroline Lampl found herself in position to clinch a semifinal victory for Stanford (19-5, 9-1 Pac-12) over defending NCAA champion Vanderbilt, she knew exactly what to do. 

After all, Lampl had already clinched six times for Stanford — twice as many as any of her teammates this season. Lampl also led the team in winning three-setters, having amassed a 9-4 record in three-set matches.

The freshman displayed both hard-earned talents — clinching and persevering over three sets — on her biggest stage yet on Monday afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma, clinching 15th-seeded Stanford’s 4-2 upset over sixth-seeded Vanderbilt with a dramatic 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-3 win at the No. 5 spot.

Thanks to winning the doubles point, Stanford was always one step ahead of Vanderbilt (23-6, 11-2 SEC) throughout the match. The Commodores nevertheless offered consistent pressure and nearly pulled off a late comeback before Lampl stepped up to halt Vanderbilt in its tracks.

Stanford faces 12th-seeded Oklahoma State in the final on Tuesday at 10 a.m. PT. The pairing is a fitting finale for a tournament riddled with upset victories, in which a lone top-four seed (No. 1 Cal) reached the semifinals. While Stanford defeated Vanderbilt with solid but not exactly outstanding play, Oklahoma State was undeniably on fire as it stunned No. 1 seed Cal 4-3 earlier on Monday morning.

Stanford will also have to contend against a large crowd cheering for Oklahoma State, which had approximately 600 fans (proudly sporting traffic-cone orange fan gear) fill the tennis center to support the local favorite on Monday.

Stanford, CA; Saturday April 16 2016; Woman's Tennis, Stanford vs University of California, Berkeley
Freshman Caroline Lampl (above) clinched both the doubles point and the match with her strong play, emerging victorious in a 3-set battle at the No. 5 spot. (BILL DALLY/isiphotos.com)

The doubles team of junior Carol Zhao and freshman Melissa Lord ensured that Stanford started off on a stronger note than the team has in its three prior rounds of the NCAA tournament, in which the Cardinal suffered bouts of shaky play and snuck by with consecutive 4-3 victories.

Zhao and Lord, ranked No. 31 nationally in doubles, won 6-2 on Court 2. Senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl clinched the doubles point for Stanford shortly after, winning 6-3 on Court 3.

However, when Stanford played Vanderbilt in a regular-season dual match on January 30, the Cardinal clinched the doubles point but failed to win any singles matches. The biggest question of this rematch was whether the return of Zhao to the No. 1 singles spot could give Stanford the edge it needed in singles play. (Zhao took a break from collegiate play for the professional circuit over winter quarter, but returned to The Farm for the second half of the season.)

Zhao, the 2015 NCAA singles runner-up, promptly put Stanford ahead 2-0 in the dual match tally. Ranked No. 25 nationally, Zhao handled No. 18 Sydney Campbell’s big serve (likely even faster since the match was played indoors) and was more consistent in rallies to win 6-4, 6-3.

Junior Caroline Doyle has struggled to find her rhythm in the NCAA tournament, winning only one match so far while playing at No. 3. The string of shaky play continued today as the Commodores’ No. 32 Astra Sharma defeated Doyle 6-4, 6-2, which narrowed Stanford’s lead to 2-1 in the dual match tally.

While Stanford won four of six first sets to open singles play, the Commodores then staged a late comeback that kept the team on edge for the rest of the match.

The first sign of mounting trouble for the Cardinal started on Court 4, when senior Krista Hardebeck lost a closely contested tiebreaker in the first set to the Commodores’ Courtney Colton. Hardbeck has won 20 of her last 23 matches, but Colton dealt her a 7-6 (6), 6-4 defeat.

Vanderbilt then forced third sets at Nos. 2, 5 and 6. Lord had an erratic match at the No. 6 spot, as she lost the second set 0-6 before reclaiming the momentum to prevail 6-2 in the third set.

Although Stanford was ahead 3-2 in the dual match tally, Vanderbilt had a clear shot at victory in the third sets of both remaining matches on Courts 2 and 5.

The Commodores’ Frances Altick, ranked 14th nationally, forced No. 46 junior Taylor Davidson to a third set on Court 2. The entire match was full of long, physically demanding rallies, including a 22-shot rally which Davidson clinched with a volley winner to take the first set. That physical intensity seemed to be fatiguing Davidson, who had three consecutive three-set matches prior to facing Altick. Davidson and Altick stayed on serve at 2-2, but Davidson was caught in an uphill battle.

At this point, Lampl stepped forward to save the day. Her opponent was Fernanda Contreras, a fellow freshman who likewise has amassed an outstanding record in her inaugural collegiate season. (Counting Monday’s match, both freshmen have a 29-5 overall record.) After winning the first set 6-4, Lampl lost the second set in a disappointing tiebreaker, 6-7 (4), during which she made impatient errors when faced with Contreras’ scrappy slices and ability to return what would, against most players, be outright winners. Lampl’s downslide continued into the third set as Contreras jumped to a 2-0 lead.

“[Contreras] slices a lot, and I don’t play my best against people who play very tricky,” Lampl said in the post-match press conference. “I missed a lot, but I had to go for my shots. I couldn’t just back off.”

Lampl finally rediscovered her characteristic balance of gritty consistency helped by heavy topspin groundstrokes and aggressive shot-making, as she claimed the next four games. She was helped when Contreras was overruled at 30-all, 3-2, which then allowed Lampl to hold the game at 40-30 and secure a 4-2 lead. (Contreras tried to call out an incredible inside-out forehand winner by Lampl, which bounced along a short, mid-court angle.)

Contreras kept steady pressure on Lampl, solidly holding for 4-3 and then preventing Lampl from converting until her third hold point to go up 5-3. But Lampl’s aggressive shots succeeded more often than they went awry, and Lampl secured quadruple match point (due to no-advantage scoring). Stanford’s place in the NCAA final was secured when Contreras sent a forehand into the net on Lampl’s second match point.

Stanford’s tournament run is reviving memories of the Cardinal’s 2013 NCAA championship, when the No. 12-seeded Cardinal made history as the lowest-seeded team ever to claim an NCAA championship title. This year, No. 15 Stanford might not be able to claim as much of a Cinderella-story status when squared off against No. 12 Oklahoma State, also a low seed. However, the Stanford squad has undoubtedly overcome obstacles and surpassed expectations this season.

“We had to survive a period without our number-one player, which was very challenging,” head coach Lele Forood said. “And we just knew that our freshmen had to gain experience. I’m very, very proud.”

Stanford will take the court for the final time this season on Tuesday as the team competes for its 18th national title.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Dramatic win over Michigan sends women’s tennis through to Final Four https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/21/dramatic-win-over-michigan-sends-womens-tennis-through-to-final-four/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/21/dramatic-win-over-michigan-sends-womens-tennis-through-to-final-four/#respond Sun, 22 May 2016 00:43:26 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115523 It wasn’t pretty, but Stanford women’s tennis got the job done. No. 15 seed Stanford (18-5, 9-1 Pac-12) pulled out a nail-biting 4-3 victory over tenth-seeded Michigan (23-7, 10-1 Big Ten) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships on Saturday afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The back-and-forth match could hardly have been closer: The deciding match […]

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It wasn’t pretty, but Stanford women’s tennis got the job done.

No. 15 seed Stanford (18-5, 9-1 Pac-12) pulled out a nail-biting 4-3 victory over tenth-seeded Michigan (23-7, 10-1 Big Ten) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships on Saturday afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The back-and-forth match could hardly have been closer: The deciding match came down to a tiebreaker in the third set at the No. 3 spot, in which junior Caroline Doyle ultimately prevailed 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4).

The hard-fought win over Michigan is Stanford’s third consecutive 4-3 win in the NCAA tournament, following victories over second-seeded Florida in the round of 16 and Texas A&M in the second round.

The anxiety-inducing scores are partly due to inconsistent play on the Cardinal’s part, but also reflect the talent and competitiveness present throughout the NCAA draw.

Stanford has lost the doubles point in the last five out of six matches, including against Michigan (but won all five matches nonetheless). The trend of rocky doubles manifested in an unusually painful fashion (for Cardinal fans) on Saturday afternoon, as Stanford was in position to clinch the doubles point before ultimately falling short.

Michigan secured the first doubles win, as Stanford’s junior Carol Zhao and freshman Melissa Lord fell 6-2 at the No. 2 spot. Stanford responded with a 6-4 win by senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl at the No. 3 spot.



In the deciding doubles match on Court 1, Stanford’s junior duo of Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle held a comfortable 5-2 lead but proved unable to clinch the win. Stanford had two match points, with Davidson serving at 40-30, 5-4. But Davidson and Doyle seemed to become their own worst opponents, hitting a string of double faults that was particularly unusual given that the duo is the fifth-ranked doubles team nationally.

Davidson double-faulted on both match points at 5-4. After Michigan held for 6-5, Doyle suffered four consecutive double faults to hand Michigan the doubles point with a 7-5 win on Court 1.

However, Stanford managed to shake off the heartbreaking loss and rebounded once singles play began. The Cardinal claimed five of six first sets.

Freshman Melissa Lord continued to impose her will at the No. 6 spot and put Stanford on the board in a 6-1, 6-0 rout.

On Court 4, senior Krista Hardebeck played a crucial role in maintaining Stanford’s momentum as she steamrolled over Michigan’s Alex Najarian to a 6-0, 4-1 lead. However, Hardebeck then lost four consecutive games. Najarian had the upper hand after breaking Hardebeck’s serve to take a 5-4 lead in the second set.

Hardebeck, ranked No. 100 nationally, has amassed a record of clinching victories in pressure-filled moments over her four seasons at Stanford, and she rose to the moment yet again. Hardebeck won the next three games (including defending four break points while serving at 5-5) to close the set 7-5. Her win marked Stanford’s second singles victory of the day and her 20th win out of her last 22 singles matches.

Although Hardebeck ultimately pulled out her match, her temporary loss of momentum coincided with similar shaky patches for her Stanford teammates still on court.

Junior Carol Zhao, the 2015 NCAA singles runner-up, never found her rhythm and fell 6-4, 6-2 to Michigan’s Ronit Yurovsky, who is ranked 15th nationally.

Davidson, Doyle and Lampl each lost the second set despite winning the first, at the Nos. 2, 3 and 5 spots, respectively.

Davidson’s best opportunity to clinch the win was when she was serving at 40-30, 3-3 in the second set. The 46th-ranked Davidson failed to hold, however, and Michigan’s Brienne Minor, No. 19 nationally, seized the momentum to clinch the second set 6-4 and ultimately win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Lampl kept Stanford’s hopes alive by jumping to a 5-0 lead in the third set and ultimately tying the dual match score at 3-3 with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over Mira Ruder-Hook.

The deciding point fell to the match between Doyle and Michigan’s Kate Fahey on Court 3, where Doyle, ranked No. 67 nationally, had amassed a 3-0 lead in the third set. Doyle lost the next four games and was on the defensive as Fahey, ranked No. 68 nationally, dictated with deep groundstrokes corner-to-corner. Serving at 3-4, the left-handed Doyle started hitting her forehand more aggressively and kept herself in the match by holding at 40-15 for 4-4.

Fahey and Doyle each began playing inconsistently, alternating between dictating aggressively and succumbing to soft shots or unforced errors seemingly induced by the pressure-filled moment. Doyle was up 40-15 while serving at 5-6 but ultimately had to defend a match point at deuce (no advantage), which then sent the third set to a tiebreaker.

Doyle relied on her ability to consistently hit deep, heavy groundstrokes high over the net while Fahey suffered a few unforced errors early in the tiebreaker. Doyle took a 5-0 lead but then committed a few errors of her own, including two double faults eerily reminiscent of her doubles loss, as her lead narrowed to 6-4.

Serving for the match, Doyle secured Stanford’s spot in the Final Four in a well-played final point during which she stepped forward into her shots and imposed her will from within the baseline.

“I got off to a pretty quick start, and then she stepped up her game and I got a little too defensive,” Doyle said about the third-set in the post-match press conference. “Then I was just trying to get the point started with a first serve and really work the point.”

While Doyle and her teammates experienced moments of shaky play, the Cardinal nonetheless overcame a worthy opponent to earn a ‘W’ for the program.

“We’ve got some veteran players,” head coach Lele Forood said. “They’ve played in big matches. They know how to get it done usually, when it really counts.”

The Cardinal face a formidable challenge in the semifinals, as Stanford will square off against sixth-seeded Vanderbilt on Monday, May 23, at 10 a.m. PT. Vanderbilt, the defending national champion, was the nation’s top-seeded team at the season’s start and dealt Stanford a 4-1 loss on January 30, while Stanford was playing without Carol Zhao in its lineup.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis to face rival Florida in Round of 16 https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/18/womens-tennis-to-face-rival-florida-in-round-of-16/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/05/18/womens-tennis-to-face-rival-florida-in-round-of-16/#respond Wed, 18 May 2016 09:41:05 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1115244 No. 12 Stanford women’s tennis faces a particularly challenging match in the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships, as the Cardinal will play longtime rival and No. 1-ranked Florida on Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 10 a.m. The matchup follows Stanford’s 4-3 win over No. 18 Texas A&M at Taube Family Tennis Stadium on […]

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No. 12 Stanford women’s tennis faces a particularly challenging match in the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships, as the Cardinal will play longtime rival and No. 1-ranked Florida on Thursday in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 10 a.m.

The matchup follows Stanford’s 4-3 win over No. 18 Texas A&M at Taube Family Tennis Stadium on Thursday, which junior Taylor Davidson clinched with a dramatic 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win at the No. 2 spot. Stanford’s NCAA journey is now likely to become even more thrilling given the Cardinal’s history of intense competition with Florida.

Although Florida appears the favorite based on its status as the second seed, Stanford (seeded fifteenth) tends to rise to the challenge when the Gators are on the other side of the net. Stanford edged Florida 4-3 in their most recent matchup on February 28 at The Farm, handing the Gators one of their only two losses on the season. The Cardinal have maintained the upper hand historically as well. Stanford has won six out of the rivals’ last nine matches, dating back to its 4-3 victory to clinch the 2010 NCAA Championship.

The Cardinal squad has the talent to deal the Gators another defeat on Thursday, although the competitiveness of their previous matchup suggests that Stanford will have to bring its best game.

Doubles is one place where Stanford could improve over its prior performance against the Gators. Stanford has been largely dominant in doubles but had an off day against Florida in February and suffered its first loss of the doubles point this season.

Stanford will need the junior duo of Davidson and Caroline Doyle to repeat its February win over the Gators’ Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan, which Davidson and Doyle claimed 6-2 on Court 1. The matchup will feature some of the nation’s best in collegiate doubles, as Davidson and Doyle are the fifth-ranked doubles team nationally while Austin and Keegan are the No. 3 team.

In February, the Gators imposed their will at the No. 2 and 3 doubles spots, however, winning both matches 6-2. Freshman Melissa Lord has since replaced freshman Kimberly Yee as junior Carol Zhao’s regular doubles partner at the No. 2 spot, but both courts will likely remain battlegrounds.

Despite losing the doubles point, Stanford managed to clinch the match with four singles victories. Zhao, the Cardinal’s No. 1 singles player, will look to repeat victory in her expected rematch against the Gators’ Brooke Austin, who is the fourth-ranked singles player nationally.

Zhao’s return to the lineup, just in time for the last Florida match, provided Stanford with an added dose of momentum. The Cardinal will want to channel that team spirit again on Thursday.

“We were all super fired up, because we found out the night before [that Zhao would rejoin the lineup],” Davidson said. “It’s definitely going to be important for us to find some momentum to ride into the match, like what happened in February.”

Stanford’s winning edge may again be senior Krista Hardebeck, who, improbably, has provided the clinching singles point over Florida three times in her collegiate career. Hardebeck, who is ranked 100th nationally, earned the moniker “Gator Killer” after she clinched the February match in a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win over Josie Kuhlman.

Freshman Caroline Lampl also could be a game-changer. In the third set against Florida’s Brianna Morgan in February, Lampl suffered debilitating cramps from the heat that contributed to her back-and-forth loss at the No. 5 spot. In the three months since, Lampl has become an even greater force to be reckoned with. She has notched the winningest record among the Stanford freshmen (26-5, 17-2 dual), notably winning a three-set match that clinched Stanford’s 4-3 upset over then-No. 1 and previously undefeated Cal on April 16 at The Farm.

“Florida is literally the biggest rival,” Lampl said, reflecting on her encounter with the Gators after the teams’ first meeting this year. “We all have a little beef with them.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

 

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Stanford Running Club to match up with archrival Google at Golden Gate Relay https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/29/stanford-running-club-to-match-up-with-archrival-google-at-golden-gate-relay/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/29/stanford-running-club-to-match-up-with-archrival-google-at-golden-gate-relay/#comments Fri, 29 Apr 2016 13:30:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1114481 Stanford Running Club’s rivalry with Google developed over 18-plus hours and 191 miles at the 2015 Golden Gate Relay, a charity event. One year later, both sides are eager for the rematch that will take place this weekend, beginning on Saturday afternoon at the relay’s starting line in the Napa County city of Calistoga.

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Stanford Running Club’s rivalry with Google developed over 18-plus hours and 191 miles at the 2015 Golden Gate Relay, a charity event. One year later, both sides are eager for the rematch that will take place this weekend, beginning on Saturday afternoon at the relay’s starting line in the Napa County city of Calistoga.

Stanford Running Club’s men’s relay team unexpectedly took first place over five-time champion Google at last year’s Golden Gate Relay. This year, Google wants revenge. For its part, Stanford Running Club relishes being cast at the underdogs — even after its 2015 victory.

Courtesy of Haley Brogan
Courtesy of Haley Brogan

“It’s us against Google,” said Benedikt Bünz, a Stanford Ph.D. student in computer science who will run in his second Golden Gate Relay this weekend. “It’s a huge company, and we’re like a bunch of unorganized guys.”

The Golden Gate Relay has raised awareness in support of organ donations since 1995 and fundraises for the nonprofit Organs ‘R’ Us. The race has been dubbed “California’s Longest Party,” referring to both the race’s lengthy course, which goes through 36 cities, and various amusements. Highlights include running across the Golden Gate Bridge near midnight and the traditional pancake buffet at Cañada College in Redwood City. Many of the 200 teams are composed of more casual runners and joggers, but The Golden Gate Relay also hosts fierce competition among teams of elite runners, ultra-marathoners and in some years, even Olympians.

While Stanford Running Club is still something of an upstart on the men’s side, the Stanford Running Club Lady Trees are riding a four-year winning streak, from 2012-15, in the relay’s women’s competition. Stanford Running Club will also feature a co-ed team.

“It’s a Running Club staple,” said Stanford senior Haley Brogan, who organized the club’s entries this year. “Everyone sets aside the weekend as soon as the date comes out.”

The relay’s course includes Junipero Serra Blvd, just behind Lake Lagunita at the edge of Stanford’s campus.  For early risers (or those who have not yet gone to bed), Bünz estimates that the Stanford team will reach Junipero Serra between 4:50 and 5:20 a.m.

The Stanford community has a long history of supporting The Golden Gate Relay, said Jeff Shapiro, who has volunteered for the relay for over 20 years. The passing of the baton from one runner to the next symbolizes an organ donation.

“This race originated many years ago out of the frustration of not having many organ donors,” Shapiro said. “That frustration still exists.”

 

To contribute to the Stanford Running Club’s fundraising in support of Organs ‘R’ Us, follow this link: https://www.crowdrise.com/fortree0-tree–600-tree-stanford-running-club-ggr-fundraiser.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu. 

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Selfless leadership on men’s tennis starts with Romanowicz and Paige https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/24/selfless-leadership-on-mens-tennis-starts-with-romanowicz-and-paige/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/24/selfless-leadership-on-mens-tennis-starts-with-romanowicz-and-paige/#respond Mon, 25 Apr 2016 06:50:33 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1114080 Putting others before oneself came up often in conversations about the team’s leadership, and Paige and Romanowicz reinforce the ethos in their actions.

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Nolan Paige still remembers the name of the high school senior who used to give him, then a 10th grader, a ride home from basketball practice.  

“He was one of the best players on the team and it was cool because he was so inclusive,” Paige recalled. “David O’Brien.”

(LARRY GE/The Stanford Daily)
Senior Nolan Paige (above) has always remained very positive throughout his career despite having battled through 16 three-setters this season, tops on the team, with a 15-15 record to boot. He will attend Vanderbilt Divinity School next season. (LARRY GE/The Stanford Daily)

Six years have passed since Paige, now a senior on Stanford’s men’s tennis team, savored time spent with his older (and therefore cooler) high school teammate. But that example of kindness remains a powerful memory for Paige, who, as a senior, has found himself in the position to be a new “David O’Brien” for underclassmen on the team.

While Paige’s leadership is informal, fellow senior Maciek Romanowicz holds the title of team captain. Paige and Romanowicz are the two seniors who have regularly played in Stanford’s six-person match lineup this season, typically with Paige at the No. 3 or No. 4 spot and Romanowicz at the No. 5 or No. 6 spot. Paige and Romanowicz have contributed singles and doubles wins to some of Stanford’s biggest victories this season, namely sweeping Oregon 4-0 in the first round of the Pac-12 Championships last week and defeating Washington 4-1 on April 9.

While Stanford has notched its best results in the last month, leading up to the NCAA Championships on May 13, the team first had to grapple with a series of tightly contested, disappointing losses. Stanford suffered four nail-biting 3-4 losses, all to top-30 ranked teams, over the first two months of the regular season. This is where Paige and Romanowicz have made their most meaningful contributions: in off-court and behind-the-scenes moments, helping their team recover mentally from tough losses and stay motivated.

“The most memorable part about those losses is how those guys come back in practice the next few days,” sophomore Tom Fawcett said. “Two days later, when you see someone like Maciek coming into practice early and working as hard as he possibly can, it’s really motivating to get back out there and forget about the loss.”

The rest of the players in Stanford’s top-six lineup this season, besides Paige and Romanowicz, are freshmen and sophomores. That bodes well for the program’s potential in coming years, but it also means that this season has partly been about younger players transitioning to college and simply gaining experience. Romanowicz, as captain, has placed emphasis on reaching out to younger players as they juggle the demands of being a student-athlete. The acts might seem small: arranging to get lunch with an underclassman or taking the time to ask, genuinely, how a teammate is doing. But with student-athletes juggling both their sport and a full course load, it’s an example of Romanowicz going out of his way to support his teammates.  

“Nothing that was ever suggested by me,” said head coach Paul Goldstein. “Maciek took it upon himself and is as empathetic a leader as we could have.”

(LARRY GE/The Stanford Daily)
Senior Maciek Romanowicz (above) has led both by example and his behind-the-scenes efforts to keep the team in good spirits this season. He will work at a startup in San Francisco before starting at Harvard Business School in a few years. (LARRY GE/The Stanford Daily)

Putting others before oneself came up often in conversations about the team’s leadership, and Paige and Romanowicz reinforce that ethos in their actions.

In terms of individual results, Paige has had a challenging season, with a record of 15-15 overall and 8-10 in dual matches. He has battled through 16 three-set matches, the most of any Stanford player this season. However, Paige said that, over his collegiate career, he has learned to not let wins or losses overshadow his experience as part of the team.

“[Paige] is always very positive,” Fawcett said. “He always wants what’s best for you, which is really nice as a teammate and a friend,”

Paige will attend Vanderbilt Divinity School beginning in August, where he hopes to prepare for a lifetime of serving others.  

“I really just want to help people, by having conversations and stuff,” Paige said. “It seems like the right next step.”

When asked to describe his leadership style, Romanowicz demurred speaking about himself, saying that his teammates should be the ones to judge how well he served them.

“It’s definitely an honor and a pleasure to be able to support the guys,” Romanowicz said. “But I feel like everyone is a leader at different points in practice and the year, so it’s not only me.”

While Romanowicz is humble when talking about himself, he is anything but passive when on the court or enthusiastically cheering for his teammates.

Fawcett is familiar with Romanowicz’s energetic on-court presence, as the two have been regular doubles partners over the last two years.

“He’s always trying to pump you up and moving his feet on court,” Fawcett said. “He pumps me up when I need to be, and I think I try to calm him down when he gets a little too energetic sometimes.”

Romanowicz has been accepted to Harvard Business School and plans to work at a microfinance startup in San Francisco for a period before beginning school in Cambridge. He is looking forward to returning to the Farm and cheering on the team from the sidelines as an alum as long as he is in the Bay Area.

Yet the thought of no longer representing the Cardinal on court is bittersweet and even strange. Romanowicz still has NCAA Championships ahead, and he is determined to make the most of his final few weeks before graduation. He thinks his favorite memory from this season is yet to come.

“I hope the favorite memory is still ahead,” Romanowicz said. “In college tennis, it’s really hard to keep 12 individuals as one team, and I think we’ve done a good job of it. That’s not a moment, but the whole process [is something] I’ve really enjoyed.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Senior Sit Down: Krista Hardebeck of women’s tennis https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/20/senior-sit-down-krista-hardebeck-of-womens-tennis/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/20/senior-sit-down-krista-hardebeck-of-womens-tennis/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2016 08:45:12 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1113860 Senior Krista Hardebeck has saved her best for last. In her final season on the Farm, Hardebeck clinched Stanford’s 4-3 upset over No. 3 Florida in February and has accrued the winningest record (21-5, 17-1 dual) on the team. Hardebeck, ranked 114th nationally, is currently riding a 15-match winning streak. She will look to extend […]

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Senior Krista Hardebeck has saved her best for last. In her final season on the Farm, Hardebeck clinched Stanford’s 4-3 upset over No. 3 Florida in February and has accrued the winningest record (21-5, 17-1 dual) on the team. Hardebeck, ranked 114th nationally, is currently riding a 15-match winning streak. She will look to extend her streak on Wednesday, when No. 13 Stanford (13-5, 8-1 Pac-12) faces off against No. 19 USC (12-4, 7-0 Pac-12) for the Pac-12 Championship title in Ojai, California.

The Stanford Daily (TSD): Let’s talk about the Cal match last weekend. What will you remember most about beating the number one team in the country?

Krista Hardebeck (KH): Definitely for me, one of the most memorable things will be watching Caroline Lampl finish off the match. I didn’t get to see, unfortunately, any of [Caroline] Doyle’s match, which I’m sure was insanely exciting. But we’ve had a lot of really close matches this year that we haven’t pulled off, so it was really cool to watch a freshman step up to the plate. She was down 3-2 when the match came down to her, and then she just won four straight games. It was so much fun being with my team and screaming for her. Watching her battle through that was so awesome.

TSD: What about your own match? Two weeks ago [against No. 73 Denise Starr of Cal], you won in three sets and it was close in the tiebreaker. This time you won 6-2, 6-3.

KH: I think this time, it was being on my own courts and I came with more of a game plan. I knew what to do from the match a few weeks ago. And like I said, being on my own courts. They’re a little faster, so that’s beneficial for me.

My mother and my friends were sitting there being absolutely ridiculous, cheering behind my court. That really helped pull me through as well.

TSD: What did you hope for going into your senior year, and how has it turned out?

KH: I actually didn’t play over the summer. I was interning in Uganda [at CCEDU, the Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda], so I was a little wary of how my play would be. But I was pleasantly surprised and I’ve ended up having an absolutely fantastic year, so that was really awesome.

We’ve obviously had a [few] ups and downs during the middle of the season, but I think we’re closing out strong. I think we’re gearing up to have a really strong finish at NCAAs.

TSD: You’ve clinched three times against Florida in your Stanford career. What do you have against the Gators?

KH: Oh my gosh, I don’t know. Everyone brings their best game on both sides because it’s such a huge rivalry, so it’s always super exciting. I’m really happy that I’ve been able to play such a big part in it. Honestly, I think it’s a coincidence that I always happen to be the last one [on the court], but it’s worked out. I love it. Hopefully we can do it to them again at NCAAs.

TSD: You’ve had a lot of big moments full of pressure and excitement on court. Do you have a line or mantra that you tell yourself in those moments?

KH: I just try to stay focused and not let myself get too carried away. I really try to focus on the energy my team is giving me and that I’m focusing on one point at a time. Not letting myself get too hyped up or too nervous.

TSD: Is that something you’ve worked on since freshman year?

KH: I was actually really good at it freshman year. Then I kind of struggled with it sophomore and junior year, but I think this year I’ve definitely gained it back. So, yes and no.

TSD: What do you think has been making the difference this year? You’re in an awesome winning streak — I should knock on wood right now.

KH: Honestly, with it being my last year, I just feel a little [looser] because it could be the last time I’m playing competitive tennis. I think it’s relaxed me, ironically. I think that’s really what’s been helping push me through.

TSD: What are you going to miss from The Farm?

KH: I’m going to miss a lot of stuff. In the context of tennis, I’ll definitely miss being able to practice every day with my teammates and having a really close group of girls that you’re with all the time. I’m kind of nerdy, so I’ll miss having really cool classes to take. I’ll miss having a team and having friends down the hallway, things like that.

TSD: Do you know what you’ll be doing after graduation?

KH: Right now, I am planning on working at a tech company in San Francisco. I’ll be doing a sales-type role for them.

TSD: Will you try to make it back to watch the team?

KH: Oh, yeah. I’ll be going to all their home matches, for sure. I’m going to be a huge fan for them.

 

Wednesday’s match against No. 19 USC will not only determine which team is the Pac-12 regular-season champion but also could affect the first and second-round locations for the NCAA Championships. The top-16 teams (as decided by a selection committee) nationally are awarded home-court advantage for the first two rounds, so Stanford would likely currently qualify, with USC’s fate being more unclear. It’s possible, but unlikely, that a USC win over Stanford could imperil Stanford’s top-16 ranking. What’s certain at this point is that both the Cardinal and the Trojans have established themselves as top competitors heading into the postseason.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Lampl’s clincher gives women’s tennis huge upset over No. 1 Cal https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/17/lampls-clincher-give-womens-tennis-huge-upset-over-no-1-cal/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/17/lampls-clincher-give-womens-tennis-huge-upset-over-no-1-cal/#respond Mon, 18 Apr 2016 06:11:48 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1113708 Battling for the third set that would decide the Big Slam, freshman Caroline Lampl did not play it safe.

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Battling for the third set that would decide the Big Slam, freshman Caroline Lampl did not play it safe.

With Lampl up 4-3, Olivia Hauger of Cal hit a sky-high lob, whose protracted hang time seemed to rival how long the anxious fans in the crowd could bear to hold their breath. Lampl stepped forward across the baseline and improbably struck the descending ball out of the air, winning the point on a put-away swinging volley.

Lampl’s characteristic aggressive playing style paid off in a big way, as the freshman would go on to clinch No. 17 Stanford’s 4-3 upset over No. 1 Cal on Saturday afternoon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

[Lampl] has been in the situation of being the last match on the court a couple of times now,” said head coach Lele Forood following Lampl’s 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over Hauger, a freshman who is ranked 114th nationally. “She goes for her shots, but they’re almost always the right shots.”  

Stanford (13-5, 8-1 Pac-12) dealt Cal (19-1, 7-1) its first loss of the season and preserved its shot at being crowned the Pac-12 regular-season champion, which could depend on Stanford’s upcoming match against No. 21 USC in Ojai, California, on Wednesday.

The dramatic upset over Cal also served as revenge for Stanford, who suffered a nail-biting 3-4 loss against Cal two weeks ago in Berkley. The prior match on April 3 did not count for Pac-12 conference standings, however, so Stanford prevailed when it mattered for the conference championship. The victory over Cal marks Stanford’s biggest win since defeating No. 4 Florida on Feb. 28 and positions the Cardinal as a top contender in the NCAA Championships.

Stanford found itself at a disadvantage early in the dual match, when Cal won the doubles point. On Court 1, Cal’s Meagan Manasse and Denise Starr, the third-ranked doubles team in the country, won 6-4 over the fourth-ranked duo of juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle. Cal’s Klara Fabikova and Hauger clinched the doubles point, defeating senior Carol Zhao and freshman Melissa Lord 7-5 on Court 2.

The doubles loss put Stanford down 0-1 in the dual match score. The disadvantage seemed particularly formidable for Stanford, given that the Cardinal only won two singles matches against Cal on April 3.

Once singles play began, Zhao, a junior, offered the first indication that Stanford still had a shot at victory. Zhao jumped to an early 5-0 lead on Court 1 and never wavered, notching Stanford’s first singles win of the day, 6-1, 6-4. The win was revenge for Zhao, who lost 7-5, 6-4 to Manasse, ranked tenth nationally, two weeks ago.

On Court 4, senior Krista Hardebeck notched her 15th consecutive singles win with a 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 73 Starr. Cal countered with a win on Court 2, as No. 12 Fabikova defeated Davidson, ranked 33rd nationally, 6-4, 6-4.

On Court 3, Doyle fended off five match points to keep Stanford’s hopes alive. Doyle was cheered on by a crowd of over 20 enthusiastic friends throughout the match, and her thrilling 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (6) victory over No. 68 Lynn Chi didn’t disappoint.

“That was fun [to have the crowd cheering],” Doyle said. “It was really helpful to have them and feed off their energy, especially after losing the first set pretty badly.”

Chi seemed less at ease in the spotlight and failed to convert match points due to unforced errors. Doyle found herself down double match point at 5-6, 30-30 in the third set, but Chi missed two consecutive backhand service returns wide, so the set went to a tiebreaker. Chi was up 6-3 in the set tiebreaker, but over her three match points, she sent a backhand return long and two groundstrokes into the net.

Doyle clinched the tiebreaker 8-6, avenging her 6-1, 6-3 loss to Chi two weeks ago and bringing Stanford only one singles win away from victory.

“Caroline is so positive,” Forood said. “She continues to believe and she turns things around.”

Cal’s Karla Popovic countered with a hard-fought 7-6 (1), 7-5 win over Lord.

With the dual match score tied at 3-3, the three-set battle between Lampl and Hauger became the deciding match. The freshmen were even at 3-3 in the third set, when their teammates gathered courtside and fans filled the stadium seats near Court 5. Lampl rose to the pressure-filled moment and won three consecutive games as she claimed the set 6-3, clinching the victory for the Cardinal.

Stanford next travels to Ojai from April 20-24. Stanford will compete against USC on Wednesday, April 20 and in the Pac-12 Championships throughout the week.   

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s tennis builds momentum with home win before upcoming Big Slam https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/13/mens-tennis-builds-momentum-with-home-win-before-upcoming-big-slam/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/13/mens-tennis-builds-momentum-with-home-win-before-upcoming-big-slam/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2016 06:52:43 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1113570 No. 29 Stanford men’s tennis (12-8, 4-2 Pac-12) shut out the University of San Francisco (4-17, 1-5 WCC) 4-0 on Monday afternoon, marking a confidence-boosting win as Stanford prepares for No. 1 Cal on Saturday in Berkeley. The victory over USF marks Stanford’s third consecutive win, following victories over Pac-12 opponents Washington and Utah last […]

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No. 29 Stanford men’s tennis (12-8, 4-2 Pac-12) shut out the University of San Francisco (4-17, 1-5 WCC) 4-0 on Monday afternoon, marking a confidence-boosting win as Stanford prepares for No. 1 Cal on Saturday in Berkeley.

The victory over USF marks Stanford’s third consecutive win, following victories over Pac-12 opponents Washington and Utah last weekend. The streak represents an important rebound for the Cardinal, who lost 4-1 to UCLA and 6-1 to USC over April 1-2 in Los Angeles. The Stanford men are seeking to build upon this momentum in the Big Slam against Cal, which will be Stanford’s last regular season dual match, as well as into postseason competition.

“We’ve had several difficult losses this season, but all along the goal [has been] to be playing our best tennis at the end of the year,” head coach Paul Goldstein said. “Overall as a team, I think we’re in our best place right now.”

The USF match may have been Stanford’s last home match of this season, depending on whether the Cardinal notches enough wins in the Pac-12 Championships to be awarded a home match during the first or second round of the subsequent NCAA Championships.

While the current seniors may have another opportunity to represent Stanford in Taube Tennis Stadium, the graduating class made sure they led the charge on Monday. Seniors Anthony Tsodikov and Trey Strobel, who have not regularly played in matches this season, dispatched their USF opponents 6-2 on Court 3, notching Stanford’s first doubles win of the day. Moments later, junior Yale Goldberg paired with freshman Sameer Kumar to clinch the doubles point with a 6-3 win on Court 2.

Senior Maciek Romanowicz clinched the dual match victory for his third time this season, winning 6-3, 6-2 on Court 5.

“I have treated the whole season as my last chance to play tennis competitively,” said Romanowicz, who has been team captain this season. “It’s been an awesome journey. I’m looking forward to postseason and seeing what we can do.”

In February, Cal edged Stanford 4-3 in a four-hour battle. Unlike the match in February, the rematch on Saturday at noon at Cal’s Hellman Tennis Complex will count for Pac-12 conference standings. Stanford will seek to repeat last year’s split, in which each team won while at the opponent’s home site.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Caroline Lampl makes presence felt for women’s tennis https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/06/caroline-lampl-makes-presence-felt-for-womens-tennis/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/06/caroline-lampl-makes-presence-felt-for-womens-tennis/#respond Wed, 06 Apr 2016 08:20:08 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1113095 In enemy territory at Cal’s Hellman Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon, Stanford freshman Caroline Lampl ripped an unreturnable forehand on match point, after which she characteristically raised both arms above her head in triumph. No. 18 Stanford women’s tennis was edged by undefeated No. 1 Cal, 4-3, but Lampl’s 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Cal’s No. […]

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In enemy territory at Cal’s Hellman Tennis Complex on Sunday afternoon, Stanford freshman Caroline Lampl ripped an unreturnable forehand on match point, after which she characteristically raised both arms above her head in triumph.

Freshman Caroline Lampl (above) has become a critical part of the No. 18 Stanford women's tennis team, (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)
Freshman Caroline Lampl (above) has become a critical part of the No. 18 Stanford women’s tennis team, compiling a 17-4 overall record to help boost the Cardinal into contention among the nation’s elite. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

No. 18 Stanford women’s tennis was edged by undefeated No. 1 Cal, 4-3, but Lampl’s 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Cal’s No. 68 Olivia Hauger helped prove that Stanford is an elite competitor as the NCAA Championships approach in Mid-May.

“Going into the match, I knew it was going to be a battle because [Hauger] is so mentally tough,” Lampl said. “I just had to go into the match with that mindset, knowing it was going to be a long match.”

It is fitting that Lampl, the top freshman in Stanford’s lineup, shone in the charged atmosphere of a match against Stanford’s archrival. Since arriving on The Farm, Lampl has stood out not only for notching the winningest record (17-4 overall, 12-2 dual) of her freshman class, but also for inspiring her teammates with her effervescent spirit.

The freshman’s enthusiasm for supporting the team’s morale has been particularly significant this season given the state of Stanford’s program. Due to both the temporary absence of star player Carol Zhao, who played on the professional circuit over winter quarter, and a lineup regularly featuring as many as three freshmen, Stanford has depended on contributions from the entire roster.

Lampl has provided the clinching singles victory in dual matches against Arizona, Utah and Oregon, while playing at the No. 4 or 5 spot. She also notched her first career win over a top-100 ranked player in her victory over fellow freshman Hauger.

“[Lampl demonstrated] great heart and great perseverance to get through that second set and pull out the third,” said head coach Lele Forood. “Great energy, as always.”

In embracing college tennis’ team format, Lampl has navigated a significant transition. Unlike in many other sports, junior tennis players typically travel to and compete in tournaments as individual competitors.

“In juniors, you’re out there by yourself, with maybe your mom or your coach cheering you on,” Lampl said. “At first I was really nervous about college tennis. I was like, ‘If I don’t play well, I’m going to let my team down and that’s going to be embarrassing.’”

Lampl’s mindset shifted after her improbable three-set comeback victory over UCLA’s Alaina Miller on March 12 as a turning point. Despite being down 2-5 in the third set, Lampl recovered to win 6-7 (3), 6-1, 7-5.

This victory resonates with Lampl, even though Stanford had already clinched the dual match victory before she won the three-set battle. In that match, Lampl no longer felt the same anxiety about representing the Cardinal. Instead, she used the notion of playing well for the sake of her teammates, for Forood and for associate head coach Frankie Brennan as a source of positive motivation that helped her ignite her rally.

“I’ve found out how much fun [college tennis] is,” Lampl said. “The feeling of playing for your team in front of everyone and making people happy and fired up is something I like a lot.”

Growing up, Lampl developed her competitive spirit over countless hours practicing tennis with her older sister, Sunnie, a senior on the MIT tennis team.

The Lampl sisters have carried their passion for tennis — and their sibling rivalry — across the globe. Lampl first picked up a tennis racket in Hong Kong, where she lived until the age of 10, when her family moved to Purcellville, Virginia. Although the sisters now live on opposite coasts, Sunnie regularly live-streams her younger sister’s matches, and often texts commentary and encouragement to Caroline even while her match is underway.

As Lampl has grown more confident regarding college competition, the freshman has increasingly enjoyed the lively atmosphere offered by the crowd at Stanford’s Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

“If I hit a good shot, I’ll celebrate more in front of a crowd,” Lampl said. “When you have people cheering you on, I really want to win for my fans, my team and my coaches.”

Confidence on court plays a key role in how Lampl and her teammates support each other during a dual match. Throughout the season, the Stanford women have placed an emphasis on what Lampl calls “being loud”: vocalizing cheers, both to maintain their own high energy and to encourage teammates competing on neighboring courts.

Lampl now proudly lays claim to being one of the loudest while pumping herself up and her teammates, although she admits to trailing junior Caroline Doyle for the title of loudest Cardinal on court.

In two weeks, Lampl will likely face Cal’s Hauger again when the Bears come to The Farm on April 16. During the rematch, which will count toward the Pac-12 conference standings, Lampl will have another opportunity to thrive in the spotlight — or, at the least, to make sure that her cheers of “Go Cardinal” are heard.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis establishes self as contender in 4-3 loss to No. 1 Cal https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/05/final_ls-womens-tennis-establishes-self-as-contender-in-4-3-loss-to-no-1-cal/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/04/05/final_ls-womens-tennis-establishes-self-as-contender-in-4-3-loss-to-no-1-cal/#respond Tue, 05 Apr 2016 07:19:54 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1112987 No. 18 Stanford women’s tennis (10-5, 5-1 Pac-12) was overpowered in singles play by undefeated No. 1 UC Berkeley (17-0, 5-0 Pac-12), resulting in a 4-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at the Hellman Tennis Complex in Berkeley. The Bears’ victory does not count for Pac-12 conference standings; the rematch on April 16 at Stanford counts instead. […]

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No. 18 Stanford women’s tennis (10-5, 5-1 Pac-12) was overpowered in singles play by undefeated No. 1 UC Berkeley (17-0, 5-0 Pac-12), resulting in a 4-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at the Hellman Tennis Complex in Berkeley.

The Bears’ victory does not count for Pac-12 conference standings; the rematch on April 16 at Stanford counts instead. Although Cal ultimately prevailed, the close final score of 4-3 shows that Stanford is a competent competitor against the team that has dominated women’s college tennis this season.

In a match televised on Pac-12 Networks, the Cardinal put forth its best doubles play so far this season to clinch the doubles point, but the Bears’ aggressive style of singles play garnered them four singles wins.

“They were the aggressors on most of the courts once the singles started,” head coach Lele Forood said. “On the top courts, they played a more attacking style, and we seemed not to be able to match that.”

Freshman Caroline Lampl and senior Krista Hardebeck each notched notable wins in Stanford’s only singles victories of the day. Lampl earned her first career win against a top-100 ranked ITA player, outlasting Cal freshman Olivia Hauger, ranked 68th nationally, with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win. Hardebeck, ranked 118th,  provided a silver lining for Stanford as the last match to finish with a 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4) win over No. 93 Denise Starr.

Kicking off the Big Slam, juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle, the 4th-ranked doubles team in the nation, triumphed 6-2 over Cal’s 6th-ranked team of Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr on Court 1. Senior Carol Zhao and freshman Melissa Lord clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 victory on Court 2.

Senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl were up 5-4 with triple match point at 40-0, but their doubles match was abandoned since Stanford had already claimed the doubles point.

Cal’s Lynn Chi, ranked 64th nationally, kicked off the Bears’ singles success with a 6-1, 6-3 win over No. 57 Doyle on Court 3. Lord then fell 6-3, 6-1 to Cal’s Karla Popovic on Court 6. On Court 2, Cal’s Klara Fabikova, ranked 11th, overpowered No. 23 Davidson 6-2, 6-3.

With Cal up 3-1 in the dual match tally, it became clear that the Court 1 battle between Zhao and Cal’s 7th-ranked Manasse would decide the match.

Manasse sprinted to a 4-1 lead in the first set, winning points with aggressive approach shots and volleys that kept Zhao on the defensive. Zhao, the 2015 NCAA singles runner-up, fought back to 4-4 but Manasse took the first set 7-5. In the second set, Zhao found herself in a similarly perilous position down 2-5. Zhao staved off a match point while serving at 3-5, 40-all with a put-away overhead, but Manasse broke Zhao’s serve in the following game to win 7-5, 6-4 and clinch Cal’s victory.

Zhao and Manasse share a history of intense competition. Last year in the 2015 NCAA Championships, Zhao outlasted Manasse 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 to clinch Stanford’s 4-3 upset over Cal in the round of 16.

Following Manasse’s victory, an overheard comment from a Bears’ fan revealed the thrilling atmosphere surrounding the Big Slam.

“Wow, that was intense,” said the Bears’ fan, breathing a sigh of relief, while on court Manasse shared celebratory hugs with teammates.

Even though Cal had secured the victory, the majority of the crowd remained to watch and cheer as Lampl and Hardebeck battled to victory in hard-fought third sets.

On Court 5, Lampl was well-matched against fellow freshman Olivia Hauger, who has garnered national attention by clinching Cal’s victories over No. 3 University of North Carolina and No. 6 Florida. Both freshmen rely on deep, heavy forehands and are particularly talented at the put-away swinging volley.

Lampl won the first set 6-4, while Hauger took the second set 6-4 after jumping to an early 5-2 lead. Up 4-3 in the third set, Lampl hit three swinging volley forehand winners in a single game, breaking Hauger’s serve. Serving at 5-3, 30-all, Lampl hit yet another unreturnable forehand swinging volley to clear her path to victory.

“Going into the match, I knew it was going to be a battle because [Hauger] is so mentally tough,” Lampl said. “I just had to go into the match with that mindset, knowing it was going to be a long match.”

On Court 4, Hardebeck extended her current winning streak to 12 as she dispatched Cal’s Starr 7-4 in the set tiebreaker.

Forood noted that the hard-fought match established Stanford as a significant threat to Cal’s dominance, considering that the Cardinal will have a home-court advantage in the upcoming conference-play rematch.

“[A dual match score of] 4-3 sends a message that we’re a little closer to them than a 1-6,” Forood said. “It was a pretty rowdy atmosphere, but we’re hoping to have a rowdy crowd on the 16th of April.”   

The Big Slam was Stanford’s second match of the weekend. On Saturday, Stanford notched its third consecutive shutout with a 7-0 victory over No. 38 Oregon, who fielded only four players due to injuries.

Stanford next travels to Washington April 8-9 to compete against No. 61 University of Washington and No. 62 Washington State.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis bounces back from top-15 loss with two conference wins https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/27/womens-tennis-bounces-back-from-top-15-loss-with-two-conference-wins/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/27/womens-tennis-bounces-back-from-top-15-loss-with-two-conference-wins/#respond Mon, 28 Mar 2016 06:02:36 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1112538 No. 20 Stanford women’s tennis (9-4, 4-1 Pac-12) rebounded after a 4-3 loss to No. 11 Pepperdine on Tuesday by shutting out Colorado and No. 65 Utah this past weekend.

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No. 20 Stanford women’s tennis (9-4, 4-1 Pac-12) rebounded after a 4-3 loss to No. 11 Pepperdine on Tuesday by shutting out Colorado and No. 65 Utah this past weekend.

The wins over Pac-12 opponents Colorado and Utah will help the Cardinal maintain a winning Pac-12 record necessary to qualify for the NCAA Championships. But the shutouts might not be the most apt indicator regarding Stanford’s potential once in the NCAA Championships itself, since Colorado and Utah are not highly ranked nationally.

While the loss to non-conference foe Pepperdine has less effect on Stanford’s NCAA tournament bid, the defeat underscores how Stanford’s postseason success could depend on how standout junior Carol Zhao balances her schedule of collegiate play with the professional circuit.

Zhao, the 2015 NCAA singles runner-up who was No. 1 in collegiate preseason rankings and is currently No. 323 in the WTA, took a break from collegiate play for the professional circuit over winter quarter but returned to The Farm for Stanford’s 7-0 wins against Colorado and Utah.

Zhao did not compete in Stanford’s 4-3 loss to Pepperdine, a team more akin to a top-ranked NCAA contender compared to Utah and Colorado, last Tuesday. The nail-biting score shows that while Stanford remains competitive even without Zhao, her presence at the No. 1 spot may give Stanford the edge to defeat the nation’s best teams. Zhao competed in Stanford’s highest-profile win so far this season, its 4-3 victory over No. 7 Florida at home on Feb. 28.

Against Pepperdine, Stanford won closely contested matches at Nos. 2, 3, and 6. Pepperdine clinched the deciding doubles point, defeating Stanford’s typically strong doubles play at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots.

On Friday against Colorado, Zhao prevailed on Court 1 against Nuria Ormeno Ruiz, ranked 74th nationally, in an unexpectedly hard-fought battle, 7-5, 7-6 (5). On Court 2, No. 23 Taylor Davidson dispatched Jeannez Daniel of Colorado, 6-1, 6-2. Davidson, a junior, has amassed a 4-5 record at the No. 1 spot in Zhao’s absence, and is especially formidable at No. 2 when Zhao joins the lineup.

Zhao lost the first set 3-6 on Saturday against Margo Pletcher of Utah, but captured the momentum to win 3-6, 6-1, 10-0 on Court 1.

When Zhao plays in Stanford’s lineup, only two spots are left for the three freshmen who have received regular playing time in Zhao’s absence. Freshman Caroline Lampl won at the No. 5 spot against Colorado and Utah, while freshmen Kimberly Yee and Melissa Lord alternated at No. 6.

Lord won 6-0, 6-2 against Colorado and Yee prevailed 6-4, 5-7, 11-9 against her Utah opponent the following day.

Stanford next hosts No. 35 Oregon, a Pac-12 rival, on Saturday, April 2, at noon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s tennis snaps five-match losing streak with dominant win against No. 30 Rice https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/09/mens-tennis-snaps-five-match-losing-streak-with-dominant-win-against-no-30-rice/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/03/09/mens-tennis-snaps-five-match-losing-streak-with-dominant-win-against-no-30-rice/#respond Wed, 09 Mar 2016 11:26:13 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1112233 No. 37 Stanford men’s tennis (6-6) snapped a five-match losing streak with a 4-1 victory over No. 30 Rice on Thursday in La Jolla, California. Senior Maciek Romanowicz clinched Stanford’s victory with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Rice’s Emanuel Llamas at the No. 6 spot. Romanowicz followed his ninth career match-clinching point on Thursday with […]

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No. 37 Stanford men’s tennis (6-6) snapped a five-match losing streak with a 4-1 victory over No. 30 Rice on Thursday in La Jolla, California.

Maciek Romanowicz. Stanford Men's Tennis v. CAL 02/20/16. Photo by (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)
Senior Maciek Romanowicz (above) playing in the No. 6 spot made his ninth career match-clinching point in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over No. 30 Rice. The win snapped a five-match losing streak for the Cardinal. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Senior Maciek Romanowicz clinched Stanford’s victory with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Rice’s Emanuel Llamas at the No. 6 spot. Romanowicz followed his ninth career match-clinching point on Thursday with a weekend of impressive doubles play at the 127th Pacific Coast Doubles Championship. Romanowicz teamed up with sophomore Tom Fawcett to reach the finals of the tournament, where the Stanford duo fell 7-6 (1), 6-4 to No. 1 seed Julian Cash and Arjun Kadhe of Oklahoma State.

The win over Rice on Thursday brought Stanford’s record back to .500. Stanford recorded a 5-1 start to the season, but had fallen just short of victory in a series of tightly-contested matches against top-30 ranked teams, including four losses in which the final score was 4-3.

“We’ve had many close matches, but any of those could have gone our way,” Romanowicz said. “There was no match that anyone on the team thought we couldn’t win. We just kept working and kept believing that we could win.”

The match against Rice did not begin auspiciously for Stanford, as Rice clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (4) victory over senior Nolan Paige and sophomore David Wilczynski at the No. 2 spot. Thursday marked the first time this season that Stanford has rallied to win a dual match after losing the doubles point, and the bottom half of the Cardinal’s singles lineup made the victory possible.

At the No. 5 spot, freshman Michael Genender put Stanford’s first point on the board with a quick 6-2, 6-1 win. Sophomore Tom Fawcett, the fourth-ranked singles player in the nation, defeated Jamie Malik 6-4, 6-0 on Court 1 to put Stanford ahead 2-1 in the dual match tally.

Next, freshman Sameer Kumar prevailed 7-5, 6-3 on Court 4, putting Stanford only one singles win away from victory. Romanowicz clinched the match for the Cardinal on Court 6, notching a critical win given that Stanford was embroiled in tightly contested matches on Courts 2 and 3, the remaining matches in play.

After defeating Rice on Thursday, Stanford players stayed in La Jolla to compete against players from 19 colleges as well as juniors, former ATP professionals and independent entrants in an 128-draw at the 127th Pacific Coast Doubles Championship, the second-oldest tennis event in the United States. Paige and Wilczynski had the second-best run of the five Stanford duos, reaching the round of 16 before falling 6-4, 6-3 to the same OSU duo that defeated Fawcett and Romanowicz in the finals. The finals run by Fawcett and Romanowicz bested their semifinal appearance in the same tournament last year.

After competing in six dual matches in a busy February schedule, Stanford has two weeks off from competition before hosting Nevada on Monday, March 21, at 10:30 a.m.

Stanford will look to extend the momentum from its latest victory, particularly as the team opens Pac-12 conference play with a match against the University of Arizona in Tucson on March 25.

“We approached the match [against Rice] like any other, and we got the win,” said Romanowicz about the team’s refusal to weaken mentally, despite suffering five nail-biting losses in February. “It’s just another step to reach our goals to play our best tennis in May [at the NCAA tournament].”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s tennis edged by UCLA for fifth consecutive loss https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/27/mens-tennis-edged-by-ucla-for-fifth-consecutive-loss/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/27/mens-tennis-edged-by-ucla-for-fifth-consecutive-loss/#respond Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:52:18 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1111702 No. 29 Stanford men’s tennis (5-6) fell 4-3 to No. 4 UCLA (9-2) on Saturday at Taube Tennis Stadium, extending a string of nail-biting losses to top-30 teams. Stanford suffered its fifth consecutive loss, and its fourth in which the final score was 4-3. The Bruins’ victory does not count for Pac-12 conference standings, and the […]

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No. 29 Stanford men’s tennis (5-6) fell 4-3 to No. 4 UCLA (9-2) on Saturday at Taube Tennis Stadium, extending a string of nail-biting losses to top-30 teams.

Stanford suffered its fifth consecutive loss, and its fourth in which the final score was 4-3. The Bruins’ victory does not count for Pac-12 conference standings, and the rematch on April 1 in Los Angeles will count instead.

Stanford upset the Bruins in doubles to take an early 1-0 lead, but the Bruins rebounded to claim four singles matches.

“I told the guys, ‘We just can’t seem to get our offense, defense and special teams going all at the same time,’” said head coach Paul Goldstein of the team’s struggle to display consistency and collect the four points needed from throughout the lineup in order to clinch a dual match victory.

Stanford clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win by sophomore David Wilczynski and senior Nolan Paige on Court 2, after junior Yale Goldberg and freshman Sameer Kumar claimed Stanford’s first doubles victory on Court 3.

UCLA and Stanford were even after the first sets in singles matches, with Stanford having taken the first on Courts 2, 3, and 6.

No. 88 freshman Sameer Kumar was the first to fall for Stanford, losing to the Bruins’ No. 94 Karue Sell 6-2, 6-2 on Court 4 to tie the dual match at 1-1.

On Court 2, No. 48 Wilcynski fell 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 to the Bruins’ 6-foot-5 Martin Redlicki, a hard-hitting, big-serving player ranked 36th in the country. Wilcynski ground through long points and handled Redlicki’s powerful serve in the first set, but was unable to maintain the exhausting style of play needed to beat his opponent.

The situation was reversed on Court 1, as Stanford’s own 6-foot-5 hard-hitter squared off against a smaller player known for his all-around ground game. No. 4 Fawcett fell 3-6, 5-7 to the Bruins’ talented Mackenzie McDonald, who is ranked 19th among college players and 378th on the men’s professional ATP circuit.

Paige claimed a 7-5, 6-4 win for Stanford on Court 3, and freshman Michael Genender tied the dual match at 3-3 with a 6-1, 6-4 win on Court 6. Genender shone with aggressive groundstrokes in his return to the lineup after losing a three-set heartbreaker in the deciding match of Cal’s 4-3 victory last week. Genender did not play against USC on Friday, when junior Brandon Sutter assumed the No. 6 spot and suffered a three-set loss of his own.  

“Nolan and Michael, who have really had challenges so far this year, had their best day today,” Goldstein said. “We have other guys who have been phenomenal for us pretty consistently, but none of them had their day today.”

The deciding point fell to Court 5, where senior Maciek Romanowicz was down 4-6, 4-3 but still on serve. At 0-40, Romanowicz served and volleyed but could not return a well-placed, high passing shot by the Bruins’ Logan Staggs. Staggs held his serve to win 6-4, 6-3 and clinch the 4-3 victory for UCLA.

Stanford has six nationally-ranked singles players, and is tied with No. 13 USC for the most ranked players in its lineup in the nation.

While the Cardinal’s inexperienced lineup — four out of six of the team’s regular starters are underclassmen — has struggled to clinch victories, the squad will look to convert their talent into points on the board in the latter half of the season, when Pac-12 conference play begins.

“I feel so bad for the guys,” said Goldstein. “In everyone one of the matches, we have chances. It’s a testament to the guys, they keep working very hard.”

Stanford next travels to La Jolla, California, for the Pacific Coast Men’s Doubles Championship and a dual match against Rice University over March 3-6.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

 

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Slide continues for men’s tennis against USC https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/27/slide-continues-for-mens-tennis-against-usc/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/27/slide-continues-for-mens-tennis-against-usc/#respond Sun, 28 Feb 2016 01:02:39 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1111699 USC men’s tennis outlasted Stanford 5-2, dealing the No. 29 Cardinal (5-5) their fourth consecutive loss on Friday afternoon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium. The loss to the No. 13 Trojans (7-2) marks yet another match in which Stanford has kept its hopes alive until the very end, only to fall short. That count includes three nail-biting […]

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USC men’s tennis outlasted Stanford 5-2, dealing the No. 29 Cardinal (5-5) their fourth consecutive loss on Friday afternoon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

The loss to the No. 13 Trojans (7-2) marks yet another match in which Stanford has kept its hopes alive until the very end, only to fall short. That count includes three nail-biting 3-4 losses that Stanford has suffered in the last month. Stanford has less than twenty-four hours to recover before facing No. 4 UCLA (8-2) on Saturday at Taube.

Senior Nolan Paige and sophomore David Wilczynski helped Stanford clinch the doubles point with a 6-3 victory on Court 2, but USC first dealt junior Yale Goldberg and freshman Sameer Kumar a 6-2 loss on Court 3.

The deciding doubles match fell to Court 1, where senior Maciek Romanowicz and sophomore Tom Fawcett had rallied from 1-3 to 4-4.

With USC serving at 40-30, Romanowicz blasted a backhand which bounced on top of and over the net and sneaked in between both USC players at the net. Fawcett found the same luck on the following point at deuce, as his backhand tipped over the net cord to put Stanford up 5-4.

Fawcett held his serve to claim the match 6-4, and put Stanford up 1-0 going into singles play.

The Trojans seized the momentum in singles, however, and claimed the first sets in five of six matches. Wilczynski, ranked 48th nationally, suffered a 6-3, 6-1 loss on Court 2, but the Cardinal staged a rebound in the lower half of the lineup.

On Courts 4-6, Stanford players claimed the second set despite losing the first. On Court 5, 114th-ranked Romanowicz led charge as the first Cardinal player to split sets.

The intense competition kept the Stanford “Parents Weekend” crowd engaged, and inspired some heckling from the Trojan bench.

“[We had] really good energy for that stretch in the second set on the back courts,” said head coach Paul Goldstein. “I told the guys, ‘I’m really proud of that effort.’”

With the home crowd watching to see whether Kumar, ranked 88th in the country, could keep Stanford’s hopes alive, the freshman turned an on-the-run, stretching forehand into a perfect lob over USC’s Jake DeVine on set point in the tiebreaker. However, Kumar could not bring the same intensity in the third, as No. 92 DeVine triumphed 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-1.

No. 102 Paige fell in a tightly contested match 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 against No. 56 Logan Smith of USC. 

“I started off really strong,” Paige said. “[Smith] did a good job of staying aggressive. But I tried my hardest, did my best so there are definitely some positives to take out of the match.”

In only his second dual match this season, junior Brandon Sutter fell in three sets, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 on Court 6, which gave USC the clinching fourth point of the dual match. Sutter assumed the No. 6 spot from freshman Michael Genender, who suffered a hard-fought three-set loss in the deciding singles match against Cal last Saturday.

“We put Brandon out there against a really good team,” said Goldstein. “It was an opportunity well-earned [because of] his attitude, his effort since he’s been at Stanford.”

On Court 1, No. 4 Fawcett suffered his first loss of the dual match season against No. 65 Max de Vroome. The gritty three-set match finished 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 in Vroome’s favor.

Romanowicz provided a silver lining for Stanford on Court 5, battling to a 1-6, 6-2 7-6 (8) win over the Trojans’ Jack Jaede as the last match on court.

The loss to USC does not count for Pac-12 conference standings, and the rematch on April 2 at USC will be counted instead.

Stanford next hosts No. 4 UCLA on Saturday at 1 p.m.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Dramatic duel ends with 4-3 loss to Cal for men’s tennis https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/22/dramatic-duel-ends-with-4-3-loss-to-cal-for-mens-tennis/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/22/dramatic-duel-ends-with-4-3-loss-to-cal-for-mens-tennis/#respond Mon, 22 Feb 2016 08:33:09 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1111236 No. 22 Stanford men’s tennis (5-4) suffered a nail-biting 4-3 loss to archrival No. 18 Cal (5-1) in a battle of wills that kept a large crowd enthralled for four hours at Taube Tennis Stadium on Saturday. Cal dealt Stanford its third consecutive loss, as well as Stanford’s third loss by a 4-3 margin of the […]

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No. 22 Stanford men’s tennis (5-4) suffered a nail-biting 4-3 loss to archrival No. 18 Cal (5-1) in a battle of wills that kept a large crowd enthralled for four hours at Taube Tennis Stadium on Saturday.

Cal dealt Stanford its third consecutive loss, as well as Stanford’s third loss by a 4-3 margin of the season. For their part, the Golden Bears extended their current winning streak to five matches, including a win over No. 2 TCU on Feb. 7. Cal’s victory over Stanford on Saturday does not factor into the Pac-12 standings, however. The rematch on April 16 at Berkeley will count for the Pac-12.

“We have a team that wants to be good so badly,” said head coach Paul Goldstein after the loss. “I love that and I respect that, but we let how much we want to win impact how we execute. It’s a challenge.”

On Saturday, Stanford kept Cal on the ropes until Cal senior Mads Engsted clinched a nail-biting victory 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-5, over freshman Michael Genender in the deciding match on Court 6. The dual match was a relentless battle for momentum; each time Cal surged ahead, Stanford rallied to keep its hopes alive.

Cal took the lead first, as doubles kicked off the highly anticipated Big Slam. On Court 2, senior Nolan Paige and sophomore David Wilczynski quickly found themselves in a 2-5 hole before they surged back, winning the next 5 games to clinch the match 7-5. The comeback on Court 2 electrified Stanford fans, who alternated between cheering and holding their breath as the matches on Courts 1 and 3 remained nail-bitingly close.

On Court 1, senior Maciek Romanowicz and sophomore Tom Fawcett were locked in a match that stayed on serve until Romanowicz served at 5-6. Romanowicz and Fawcett fended off two match points, but a double fault from Romanowicz resulted in Cal’s first doubles win (7-5).

The deciding match for the doubles point, on Court 3, prolonged the drama for as long as humanly possible. Cal double-faulted on its first match point at 5-4. Freshman Sameer Kumar and junior Yale Goldberg pushed the set to a tiebreaker, but could not convert two match points of their own. The tiebreaker ended in Cal’s favor at 10-8.

Although Cal clinched the critical doubles point, Stanford maintained its determination as singles play got underway.

“You just have to reset and make it like the match just starts again,” Fawcett said.

On Court 4, Cal’s Filip Bergevi dealt freshman Sameer Kumar a 6-4, 6-2 loss, marking Kumar’s first career loss in a dual match. Next, Cal’s Billy Griffith climbed back from a 2-5 hole in the first set and defeated Paige 7-5, 6-4 on Court 3, extending Cal’s team point lead to 3-0 and leaving the Bears just one match victory away from victory.

Cal’s advantage was formidable, but Fawcett and Wilczynski were keeping Stanford’s hopes alive on Courts 1 and 2, respectively.

Wilczynski, ranked 90th nationally, notched Stanford’s first singles win (6-4, 6-4) over No. 36 Florian Lakat of Cal.

Fawcett, who jumped to No. 3 in the national rankings this month, dominated 6-1 in the first set against fourth-ranked Andre Goransson. Fawcett and Goransson each claimed one win in their two matchups against each other last season, and Goransson revived their history of close competition as he claimed the second set in an 8-6 tiebreaker.

While Fawcett found himself gearing up for an exhausting third set, Romanowicz made sure a Stanford victory remained possible.

On Court 5, Romanowicz (ranked 106th) imposed his will on No. 63 Oskar Wikberg of Cal to take the third set 6-1. Romanowicz’s win closed Cal’s lead to 3-2, but Stanford’s path to victory remained difficult. To stop the Golden Bears, the Cardinal needed to pull off victories in the third sets on both Courts 1 and 6.

Fawcett stayed mentally tough and prevailed 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-4.

“I was really happy with how I forgot about what was happening [in the second set],” Fawcett said. “I didn’t let the past affect me.”

Fawcett extended his undefeated record this season to 8-0, as well as his career record in third-set matches to 7-1.

“Tom’s been a warrior,” Goldstein said. “I am most pleased, as a coach, that he [was able to] keep his composure and find a way to be successful.”

Once Fawcett finished on the marquee first court, the crowd abandoned its stadium seats and rushed to the rear of Taube Tennis Stadium for the deciding third set on Court 6.

Tied at 3-3, the Battle of the Bay boiled down to a suspenseful contest between Cal veteran Engsted, a senior, and the talented Stanford freshman Genender.

Genender, ranked 119th nationally, had rallied after losing the first set 7-6 (1). After winning the second set 6-3, Genender jumped to a 2-0 lead in the third set. Engsted then staged a comeback of his own, winning five games in a row to stand on the precipice of victory at 5-2.

Genender, early in his freshman year on the Farm, found himself in one the highest-pressure situations possible for a Stanford athlete, as all eyes — and some trash talk — focused on him.

With the Cal and Stanford squads gathered courtside, Genender fended off a three match points and tied the third set at 5-5. Engsted held his serve to take the lead at 6-5. Serving at 30-all, Genender double-faulted to allow Engsted his fourth match point. The following point, Genender’s backhand struck the top of the net, and Cal edged Stanford.

Despite the loss, Goldstein said that Genender showed improvement in his ability to focus amid the “chaos” of dual matches.

“It’s very difficult to be in the last match as a freshman,” Goldstein said. “When you get to that point, because of the tension, it’s about who can manage their emotions best.”

Stanford next hosts No. 9 USC on Friday at 3 p.m. in both teams’ first Pac-12 match of the season.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis crushes Fresno State for second consecutive shutout https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/19/womens-tennis-crushes-fresno-state-for-second-consecutive-shutout/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/19/womens-tennis-crushes-fresno-state-for-second-consecutive-shutout/#respond Sat, 20 Feb 2016 04:30:37 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1111220 On Friday afternoon, freshman Kimberly Yee found herself in the same position as she had been in two weeks earlier: having won the first set handily, before having lost the second set and facing the physical and mental challenges of being the last match on court. Two weeks ago, Yee fell 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, the Cardinal’s […]

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On Friday afternoon, freshman Kimberly Yee found herself in the same position as she had been in two weeks earlier: having won the first set handily, before having lost the second set and facing the physical and mental challenges of being the last match on court.

Two weeks ago, Yee fell 1-6, 6-4, 6-1, the Cardinal’s only loss in their 6-1 win over St. Mary’s. On Friday, however, Yee triumphed over Fresno State’s Emma Wilson, 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (13-11) at the No. 6 spot.

Yee clinched Stanford’s second consecutive 7-0 shutout following last week’s victory over No. 23 TCU. The consecutive dominant wins by No. 13 Stanford women’s tennis are a significant source of momentum as the team prepares to host No. 3 Florida, a longtime rival, this Sunday.

“I’m happy we’re able to show what Stanford can do,” Yee said. “[To win] 7-0 twice is pretty huge.”

Stanford clinched the doubles point and fought through tightly-contested matches in the lower half of the lineup to leave Fresno State empty-handed on a chilly, windy afternoon at Taube Tennis Stadium.

Senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl won 6-1 at the No. 3 doubles spot. Junior duo Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle, the fifth-ranked doubles team in the nation, clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 victory at the No. 1 spot.

“I think it’s important that we keep winning the doubles point,” said head coach Lele Forood. “We’re getting an identity [for doubles]. We haven’t lost the doubles point yet.”

Hardebeck prevented any potential for drama on Court 3 as she dispatched her opponent 6-0, 6-2, for the Cardinal’s first singles victory.

Doyle followed with a 6-3, 6-3 win at the No. 2 singles spot. Doyle’s opponent, Sophie Watts, had a dangerous ability to intercept Doyle’s topspin-heavy, looping groundstrokes on the rise and hit forceful and flat groundstrokes in return. But Doyle’s consistency prevailed, putting the Cardinal only one match away from victory.  

Freshman Melissa Lord clinched the dual match for the Cardinal with a 6-4, 6-4 win on Court 4. Lord’s serve was broken to bring the second set to 4-4, but she broke back to go up 5-4. Having gained the upper edge at that critical point, Lord held her serve to secure the victory.

Davidson, ranked 30th nationally, faced No. 26 Mayar Sherif Ahmed at Taube for the second time this year. On Oct. 27, Davidson defeated Ahmed 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in the finals of the Stanford-hosted USTA/ITA NW Regional Championships. On Friday, the junior raced ahead in the second set to go up 7-5, 5-1. Davidson countered a late rally by Ahmed to clinch the second set 6-3.

Lampl and Yee each lost tightly-contested second sets before rallying in 10-point tiebreakers, which replaced the full third set, as the match was already decided.  

At the No. 4 spot, Lampl’s 10-6 win in the tiebreaker was characterized by big serves, backhand winners and occasional slices, which kept her Fresno State opponent running. After Lampl notched her final score of 6-4, 6-7 (2), 1-0 (10-6), both teams gathered courtside to watch Yee and Wilson finish their battle at the No. 6 spot.

Yee refused to let any pressure, or déjà vu, faze her after splitting sets yet again.

“I’ve always believed, don’t worry about the result,” Yee said. “You can’t control whether you win or lose, but you can control if you run every ball down, how you handle yourself on the court. You can control your attitude. So that was my mindset.”

The Cardinal return to Taube on Sunday to take on No. 3 Florida at noon.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Stanford women’s tennis rebounds, shuts out No. 23 TCU https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/16/stanford-womens-tennis-rebounds-shuts-out-no-23-tcu/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/16/stanford-womens-tennis-rebounds-shuts-out-no-23-tcu/#respond Tue, 16 Feb 2016 14:12:53 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1110815 No. 14 Stanford women’s tennis (3-2) defeated a top-25 team for the first time this season, with a 7-0 shutout over No. 23 TCU (2-2) on Saturday at Taube Family Tennis Center. The dominant victory marks Stanford’s second consecutive win at home, after an unusually slow start to the season for the storied program. The […]

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No. 14 Stanford women’s tennis (3-2) defeated a top-25 team for the first time this season, with a 7-0 shutout over No. 23 TCU (2-2) on Saturday at Taube Family Tennis Center.

Kimberly Yee. Photo by Neel Ramachandran
Stanford freshman Kimberly Yee (above) contributed a key singles victory in the Cardinal’s 7-0 win over TCU, breaking a personal three-match losing streak. (NEEL RAMACHANDRAN/The Stanford Daily)

The dominant victory marks Stanford’s second consecutive win at home, after an unusually slow start to the season for the storied program. The team dropped under .500 for the first time in program history two weeks ago, with a 1-2 record after two tough losses to No. 25 Ole Miss and No. 1 Vanderbilt. However, the Cardinal climbed back above .500 with gritty singles play against the Horned Frogs.

Although the singles matches were tightly contested, the Cardinal dominated in doubles. At the No. 3 doubles spot, senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl notched a 6-0 shutout for the Cardinal’s first win of the day.

Juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle clinched the doubles point for Stanford with a 6-2 win at the No. 1 spot. As a testament to their 16-2 overall record, Davidson and Doyle jumped from the No. 10 to the No. 5 doubles team in the nation in rankings released on February 10.

Playing at the No. 2 singles spot, Doyle continued to dominate the match. Doyle, ranked 60th nationally in singles, was the first match off the court with a 6-0, 6-4 win.

Freshman Kimberly Yee followed with a 6-2, 6-1 win at the No. 6 spot. Yee’s victory added to the Cardinal’s momentum and represented a personal achievement, as the win ended a three-match losing streak for the freshman.

Fellow freshman Melissa Lord provided the clinching point for a Stanford victory for the second time this season, pushing the dual match tally to 4-0 with a 6-4, 6-4 win at the No. 5 singles spot. Lampl continued the stretch of underclassman dominance with a 6-4, 6-4 victory at the No. 4 spot.

Hardebeck and Davidson prevailed in three-set matches at the No. 3 and No. 1 spots, respectively. Hardebeck, ranked 66th nationally, won her second three-set matches this season (4-6, 6-2, 6-2) in three tries. Davison, ranked 30th nationally, triumphed 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (6) in the longest match of the day.

Until junior Carol Zhao returns to The Farm after spending the winter playing the professional circuit, Stanford’s primary goal is just to stay in the running for the NCAA tournament. 

The team will look to extend its win streak as it hosts No. 28 Fresno State and No. 3 Florida over the next two weeks.

Stanford will host CSUF on Friday, Feb. 19 at 1:30 p.m. at the Taube Family Tennis Center.  

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s tennis goes 0-2 on Texas trip https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/09/final_ls-stanford-mens-tennis-suffers-losses-on-texas-trip/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/09/final_ls-stanford-mens-tennis-suffers-losses-on-texas-trip/#respond Tue, 09 Feb 2016 09:55:09 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1110447 No. 18 Stanford men’s tennis (5-3) fell just shy of victory against both No. 2 Texas Christian University (3-1) and the No. 26 University of Texas (5-5) over the weekend in Austin, Texas. Both losses were tightly contested. The 4-2 loss against TCU on Saturday was closer than the final scoreline indicates, as five out […]

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No. 18 Stanford men’s tennis (5-3) fell just shy of victory against both No. 2 Texas Christian University (3-1) and the No. 26 University of Texas (5-5) over the weekend in Austin, Texas.

Tom Fawcett. Photo by Sam Girvin
Stanford sophomore Tom Fawcett (above) remains undefeated (7-0) in dual match singles play this season after winning both his matches against Texas Christian and Texas. (SAM GIRVIN/The Stanford Daily)

Both losses were tightly contested. The 4-2 loss against TCU on Saturday was closer than the final scoreline indicates, as five out of six singles matches went to three sets. On Sunday, Texas’ 4-3 upset was nearly a Stanford victory. In the deciding match, senior Nolan Paige had two match points while serving at 6-5, 40-30 in the third set, but was fended off by the Longhorns’ Adrian Ortiz at the No. 3 singles spot. Ortiz bested Paige 8-6 in the tiebreak, for a final score of 1-6, 6-0, 7-6 (6).

“We had tough losses, but both were really close,” said freshman Sameer Kumar. “A few points here and there changed the match. We know that if we focus and work on the small things, we can change the outcome.”

Clinching the doubles point seems to be crucial in order for Stanford to rise above tough competition. So far this season, Stanford has not won a dual match after losing the doubles point.

That trend continued against TCU and Texas, with senior duo Paige and Maciek Romanowicz securing the only Stanford doubles victory (6-4) against the TCU Horned Frogs at the No. 1 spot.

As singles got underway, Paige almost turned the momentum back in the Cardinal’s favor by winning the first set 6-4 at No. 3 singles. However, Texas’ Guillermo Nunez kept up the pressure and won the next two sets (4-6, 7-5, 6-3) to push TCU ahead 2-0.

Freshman Michael Genender suffered a similarly nail-biting loss (7-6 (1), 7-6 (5)) at No. 5 singles. The Cardinal pushed the scoreline to 2-3, thanks to wins from sophomore Tom Fawcett at the No. 1 spot and Romanowicz playing in the No. 6 position. TCU regained control in the final match, however, as sophomore David Wilzcynski fell 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-0 at the No. 2 spot.

The pattern was repeated on Sunday, with the Longhorns clinching close victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles spots, overcoming Paige and Romanowicz, and Fawcett and Kumar, respectively.

Unlike against TCU, the Cardinal jumped to a commanding 3-1 lead once singles got underway.

Kumar clinched the first Stanford victory as he rallied from a rare doubles loss.

“I was trying to bounce back and not focus on the loss in doubles,” Kumar said. “I got off to a quick start.”

Facwett, Kumar’s regular doubles partner, also rebounded. At the No. 1 spot, Fawcett overcame Texas’ George Goldhoff 6-2, 6-1. Romanowicz added another victory at the No. 5 spot, leaving Stanford only one win away from clinching the match.

However, the Longhorns battled back at the No. 2 and No. 6 spots, defeating Wilczynski (6-2, 6-4) and Genender (6-3, 4-6, 6-3).

With the dual match score tied, the Ortiz clinched the match for Texas in a dramatic three-set battle (1-6, 6-0, 7-6 (6)). Serving at 6-5, 40-30 in the third set, Paige sent a forehand wide and then double-faulted on his two match points. In the ensuring tiebreak, Ortiz suffered a double fault of his own, and Paige won five consecutive points to take the lead at 5-3. Ortiz failed to convert on his first match point at 6-5, but converted on his next match point by lobbing the 6-foot-2 Paige at net.

Despite the team losses, Fawcett (7-0) and Kumar (6-0) remain undefeated in dual match singles play this season.

“It’s a culmination of everything I’ve been working on from the fall,” Kumar said. “It’s been a lot of hard work and working on playing agressively.”

The continued contributions from Kumar and Fawcett, combined with the team’s ability to pressure its opponents, will be crucial as Stanford next faces another challenging opponent, Cal, which defeated TCU on Sunday. Stanford will host the Golden Bears on Feb. 20 at Taube Family Tennis Center.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Women’s tennis gets back on track with 6-1 win over St. Mary’s https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/07/womens-tennis-gets-back-on-track-with-6-1-win-over-st-marys/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/02/07/womens-tennis-gets-back-on-track-with-6-1-win-over-st-marys/#respond Mon, 08 Feb 2016 07:19:26 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1110390 No. 8 Stanford women’s tennis (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12) defeated the St. Mary’s Gaels (1-3, 0-0 WCC) by a 6-1 score on Friday at Taube Family Tennis Center, bouncing back from two tough losses last weekend in Nashville to No. 25 Ole Miss and No. 1 Vanderbilt that dropped the team under .500 for the first time in program history.

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No. 8 Stanford women’s tennis (2-2, 0-0 Pac-12) defeated the St. Mary’s Gaels (1-3, 0-0 WCC) by a 6-1 score on Friday at Taube Family Tennis Center, bouncing back from two tough losses last weekend in Nashville to No. 25 Ole Miss and No. 1 Vanderbilt that dropped the team under .500 for the first time in program history.

Stanford took control early on Friday, as the Cardinal clinched the doubles point with victories at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. The freshman duo of Melissa Lord and Kimberly Yee continued to perform well at the No. 2 spot, notching the Cardinal’s first victory (6-0) of the day.

Juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle rebounded from a rare loss against Mississippi and clinched the doubles point for the Cardinal with a final score of 6-2 at the No. 1 spot. Davidson and Doyle, the No. 10 doubles team in the nation, have amassed an overall record of 15-2 so far this season.

“We came out and played really well in the doubles today,” head coach Lele Forood said. “We have to continue to push the doubles.”

Clinching the doubles point will continue to be crucial for the team’s success, especially until Stanford’s top-ranked player, Carol Zhao, returns to collegiate play in late March or early April. Zhao is playing on the professional circuit this winter and is the top-ranked singles player (No. 339) to compete for Canada in a Fed Cup match against Belarus this weekend.

The Cardinal maintained their focus during singles play, and the energy was palpable in Taube Family Tennis Center. Stanford players exchanged motivating cheers (“Go Stanford!”) and fist pumps, with Doyle taking the lead in vocalizing their motivation.

“You could see [Caroline] Doyle — she was really, really loud and that was awesome,” said freshman Caroline Lampl. “She brought the energy. Kimmie [Yee] was out there yelling ‘Go Card,’ and I was trying to help out too.”

Lampl converted the team’s energy into the Cardinal’s first singles victory (6-3, 6-1) at the No. 4 spot.

The Gaels were determined competitors, and players battled for the first set, especially at the Nos. 1-3 spots. Forood recalled that St. Mary’s and Stanford have a long history of healthy competition.

“We have tremendous respect for [St. Mary’s],” Forood said. “We will never, ever, ever forget their upset of us in 2013. They’ve got great players and we enjoy competing against them.”

On Friday, the Cardinal outlasted the Gaels to sweep the first sets in all six matches.

Senior Krista Hardebeck brought the match score to 3-0 with a 6-3, 6-3 victory at the No. 3 spot. Lord stepped up to clinch the match for Stanford, with a final score of 6-3, 6-2 at the No. 4 spot.

Although Stanford had already secured the team win, the fierce competition continued at the Nos. 1, 2 and 6 spots.

Doyle, ranked 39th nationally, triumphed at the No. 2 spot (6-3, 6-3) in a rare battle between two left-handed players. Serving at 5-3 in the second set, Doyle sailed a forehand beyond the baseline to go down 30-40. Despite being down break point, Doyle directed aggressive forehands into the deep corners of the court and won the point after two well-placed volleys. Doyle took advantage of the no-ad scoring to clinch the match on the following point.

At the No. 1 spot, Davidson, ranked 20th nationally, quickly jumped to a 5-1 lead in the first set. The Gaels’ Jana McCord found her rhythm and consistency, however, and narrowed Davidson’s lead to 5-4. Davidson clinched the first set 6-4 and ultimately held her serve to secure a 6-4, 7-5 win.

Freshman Kimberly Yee endured her second three-set match in the last week after falling against Mississippi at the No. 6 spot (1-6, 6-4, 5-7) last Friday. Yee quickly secured the first set 6-1, but was unable to maintain the momentum in what proved to be the longest match of the day. Parminder Kaur of St. Mary’s eventually prevailed 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The match against St. Mary’s kicked off a series of four matches at home throughout February. The Cardinal will next seek to establish a winning streak as they host matches against challenging opponents including No. 22 TCU and No. 3 Florida.

“I think we all just have to work really hard this week,” Lampl said. “We definitely cannot underestimate them.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s tennis dominant in shutout of No. 38 San Diego State https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/30/mens-tennis-dominant-in-shutout-of-no-38-san-diego-state/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/30/mens-tennis-dominant-in-shutout-of-no-38-san-diego-state/#respond Sun, 31 Jan 2016 07:02:52 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1110034 The No. 17 Stanford men’s tennis team (4-1) swept No. 38 San Diego State University at the recently-opened Broadway Tennis Center in Burlingame, California, on Saturday.

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The No. 17 Stanford men’s tennis team (4-1) swept No. 38 San Diego State University (1-3) at the recently-opened Broadway Tennis Center in Burlingame, California, on Saturday. Stanford quickly gained the momentum thanks to early victories from the lower half of the doubles and singles lineups, and never slackened to claim an easy 7-0 victory over the Aztecs.

Stanford’s dominant win comes on the heels of a nail-biting 3-4 loss to No. 15 Columbia on Monday, in the finals of the qualifying tournament for the National Team Indoor Championships. This newfound momentum from the victory will be particularly important as it prepares for two challenging matches next week against No. 3 TCU and No. 26 Texas on the road.

Sophomore David Wilczynski and junior Yale Goldberg provided the first indication that the day would be Stanford’s to relish during the doubles matches. The duo bounced back from a disappointing 7-2 loss against Columbia and overpowered its SDSU opponents at the No. 3 doubles spot, winning 6-0 in just 20 minutes. Stanford went on to clinch the doubles point when sophomore Tom Fawcett and freshman Sameer Kumar won 6-3 at the No. 2 spot.

Freshman Michael Genender ensured that Stanford’s momentum continued to build during singles play and claimed the Cardinal’s first victory (6-1, 6-0) at the No. 6 spot. Genender, ranked 61st nationally, had previously suffered a disappointing 6-3, 6-4 loss to Columbia’s Richard Pham on Monday.

Genender said he worked hard over the week so he could bounce back from his loss. On Saturday, he arrived ready to win.

“I came out really aggressive at the beginning, which is key,” Genender said. “I built off the energy from doubles.”

Shortly after Genender finished, senior Nolan Paige notched a quick final tally of 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot to put Stanford up 3-0 in the early goings.

Stanford needed one more win to clinch the match, and Fawcett, ranked ninth nationally, was about to deliver at the No. 1 spot. Fawcett unleashed an ace at 5-2 in the second set, earning the clinching point of a match for the third time in his career with a final score of 6-3, 6-2 over No. 53 Freddy Gelbrich.

Fawcett and Kumar remained undefeated in dual matches this season — both singles and doubles — as Kumar won 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot. Senior Maciek Romanowicz, ranked 89th nationally, followed with a 6-1, 6-2 win as Stanford’s No. 4 player.

The last match on court was between No. 57 Wilczynski and San Diego State’s Milen Ianakiev at the No. 2 spot. After winning the first set 6-4, Wilczynski was down one break at 3-5 in the second set when all eyes turned on him. Wilczynski was broken a second time to lose the second set 3-6.

The players had only a few moments to sit on the courtside benches and check in with coaches before beginning a 10-point tiebreaker for the third set, but that brief rest was all Wilczynski needed to regain control. With Ianakiev serving to start the tiebreak, Wilczynski slammed an overhead winner to go up 1-0. Wilczynski ran with the momentum to win the tiebreak 10-1, as teammates, alumni and local fans cheered him on.

“The thing I feel best about is the last five minutes of that match,” said head coach Paul Goldstein. “Not only the way David found himself in the tiebreak, playing the best tennis he’s played since the fall, but to see every member of our team supporting David even though the result didn’t necessarily matter [to the dual match]. That’s what warms my heart.”

Following the loss to Columbia, Goldstein reminded his players of another team who had suffered an early-season loss: Stanford football. (The Cardinal football team, of course, won the Rose Bowl in dominant fashion, 45-16, despite taking a tough 16-6 loss to Northwestern to begin the season).

“We can still accomplish everything we want to this year, despite a loss early in this season,” Goldstein said. “We have to look no further than Coach Shaw and the Stanford football team.”

Stanford hosts Santa Clara on Tuesday at 3 p.m., before traveling to Texas this weekend.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Track and field athletes seek Indoor Championship berths at Penn State Invitational https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/27/track-and-field-athletes-seek-indoor-championship-berths-at-penn-state-invitational/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/27/track-and-field-athletes-seek-indoor-championship-berths-at-penn-state-invitational/#respond Thu, 28 Jan 2016 07:23:19 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109903 Stanford’s track and field athletes have one of their best opportunities to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend when they participate in the Penn State National in University Park, Pennsylvania. The men’s and women’s track teams are both ranked 13th nationally and recent impressive results suggest that the Cardinal may be in for […]

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Stanford’s track and field athletes have one of their best opportunities to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships this weekend when they participate in the Penn State National in University Park, Pennsylvania.

STANFORD, CA - April 4, 2014.  Stanford University Track & Field competes at the 2014 Stanford Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California.
Junior Dylan Duvio won the pole vault at the UW Indoor Preview and was part of a 1-2-3 finish in the event for Stanford. Duvio and his teammates will look to repeat their success at the Penn State National. (JIM SHORIN/stanfordphoto.com)

The men’s and women’s track teams are both ranked 13th nationally and recent impressive results suggest that the Cardinal may be in for a breakthrough season. It is feasible that both Stanford’s men and women could finish the season ranked in the top 10 nationally for the first time since 2008. The Cardinal’s success will depend on a well-rounded squad, with key factors including consistency from the historically outstanding distance program and an anticipated breakthrough in field events.

The Penn State National is one of the biggest indoor meets in the nation. As Stanford’s athletes seek NCAA-qualifying results, the team will look to benefit from the adrenaline offered by the Penn State National’s highly competitive environment. 

Assistant coach Michael Eskind has greatly expanded the strength and depth of Stanford’s jumps squad since joining the coaching staff in 2013. The team’s outstanding results at the team’s season opener two weeks ago suggests that, in the coming weeks, Eskind will see the benefits of his work.

Two years ago, Eskind sent only three Stanford athletes to compete in jumping and multi-events at UW Indoor Preview. This year, Eskind sent 14 athletes to the same meet, and his squad’s performances marked the highlight of Stanford’s showing.

“My biggest takeaway is that the group is really coming together,” Eskind wrote in an email to The Daily. “This is a talented group of men and women. The men are just a little more experienced and battle tested than the women at this point.”

In Washington, fifth-year senior Darian Brooks notched the longest triple jump in the history of Stanford’s indoor and outdoor track and field programs at 52 feet and 9 ¼ inches. In men’s pole vault, Stanford had three vaulters eclipse 17 feet for the first time in a single season — let alone the same meet. The Cardinal went 1-2-3 in men’s pole vault, with respective finishes by junior Dylan Duvio, senior Garrett Starkey and sophomore Harrison Williams. Fifth-year senior Dartis Willis was the top collegiate athlete in the high jump, clearing 7 feet for the first time since 2012.

Some of Stanford’s distance runners will kick off their indoor track season at the Penn State National this weekend, although the Iowa State Classic on Feb. 12-13 is more notable for distance competition. The Cardinal’s signature indoor track event is the distance medley relay, in which it has collected five NCAA titles: four men’s and one women’s.

Stanford’s current distance squad will look to benefit from experience. Fifth-year senior Aisling Cuffe, seniors Claudia Saunders and Kristyn Williams and sophomores Olivia Baker and Elise Cranny have run in the distance medley relay (DMR) at the NCAAs previously.

Coming off an impressive cross country season, junior Sean McGorty is expected to run the 1,600 meter-leg as the anchor for the men’s DMR. Fifth-year seniors Jim and Joe Rosa and graduate transfer Collin Leibold, who ran a personal-best 4:02.65 mile at the UW Indoor Preview, will also be key contributors.

Eskind said his athletes relish their chance to raise Stanford’s profile in field events — and contribute to the team’s success on a national stage.

“The men’s jumps group in particular has talked for the past two years about making this the best jumps group in Stanford history and putting ourselves on the map nationally, as a place where jumpers can come and thrive,” Eskind said. “They know that the Pac-12 is one of the toughest conferences in the country for the jumps, but that we need to make our name at the NCAA meets both indoors and outdoors.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s and women’s tennis have strong weekend, but emerge with mixed results https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/26/mens-and-womens-tennis-have-strong-weekend-but-emerge-with-mixed-results/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/26/mens-and-womens-tennis-have-strong-weekend-but-emerge-with-mixed-results/#respond Tue, 26 Jan 2016 09:43:52 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109789 The No. 18 Stanford men’s tennis team (3-1) competed closely against well-matched opponents at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Flushing Meadows, New York on Sunday and Monday, while at home the No. 8 women’s team opened its season by sweeping Santa Clara on Monday afternoon. The massive snowstorm which struck the East Coast on Friday […]

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The No. 18 Stanford men’s tennis team (3-1) competed closely against well-matched opponents at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Flushing Meadows, New York on Sunday and Monday, while at home the No. 8 women’s team opened its season by sweeping Santa Clara on Monday afternoon.

Caroline Doyle
Junior Caroline Doyle (above) rolled over her opponent in weekend play, emerging form the match with a 6-2, 6-0 victory. (NORBERT VON DER GROEBEN/isiphotos.com)

The massive snowstorm which struck the East Coast on Friday delayed the start of play at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend, which was originally set for Saturday. When play began on Sunday, the Cardinal men imposed their will on No. 14 Virginia Tech. Stanford swept the higher-ranked Virginia Tech, clinching the doubles point and three singles matches, but would go on to suffer its first loss of the season the following day in a closely contested 4-3 loss against No. 16 Columbia.

Sophomore Tom Fawcett and freshman Sameer Kumar went undefeated in their doubles and singles matches over the weekend, beginning with a 7-6 (7-5) doubles victory against Virginia Tech. Seniors Maciek Romanowicz and Nolan Paige secured Stanford’s final doubles win over Virginia Tech with a final score of 7-6 (7-3).

Paige clinched the Cardinal’s first win (6-3, 6-4) at the No. 4 spot, followed by Kumar with a 6-1, 7-5 win at the No. 6 spot. Fawcett, ranked ninth in the nation, clinched the Cardinal’s victory with a 6-1, 6-4 win at the No. 1 spot.

The remaining doubles matches on Sunday were left unfinished. Sophomore David Wilczynski, ranked 57th nationally, played at the No. 2 spot (7-5, 1-1). No. 89 Romanowicz followed at the No. 3 spot (6-3, 5-1) and freshman Michael Genender was the Cardinal’s fifth player.

On Monday, Stanford took the doubles point against Columbia after Fawcett and Kumar won 7-4 against the No. 26 doubles team in the nation. Junior Yale Goldberg and Wilczynski won 7-2 at the No. 3 spot.

Paige fell to Mike Vermeer, 6-4, 6-0, at the No. 4 spot. Fawcett returned the lead to Stanford with a 6-2, 6-2 win at the No. 1 singles spot. At the No. 6 spot Kumar clinched Stanford’s second and final singles victory of the day with a score of 6-4, 6-4.

Genender fell 6-3, 6-4 at the No. 5 spot and the score became tied after Romanowicz, ranked 89th in the nation, lost 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Columbia triumphed when Wilczynski fell 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) in a lengthy three-set battle.

The Cardinal women dominated Santa Clara on Monday afternoon despite the absence of 2015 NCAA runner-up Carol Zhao, who is training with the Canadian National Team and competing on the professional circuit this winter. Zhao is expected to return to collegiate play in late March or early April.

In the Cardinal’s first win of the day, freshmen Melissa Lord and Kimberly Yee quickly dispatched their opponents in a 6-1 win at the No. 2 doubles spot.

Juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle followed with a 6-2 win at the No. 1 spot. Davidson and Doyle have shot up the rankings to become the No. 10 doubles team in the nation. The duo has collected three doubles titles since its first tournament together at the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional Championships in October.

Davidson and Doyle first suggested that they play together, said head coach Lele Forood. Early in the fall, the women’s team was experimenting with its lineup to adjust to Zhao’s absence and the addition of five freshmen.

“It was a very late decision,” Forood said. “We thought, ‘Well, anything is open [regarding the roster].’”

As the No. 3 doubles team on Monday, senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Caroline Lampl secured a lead but left their match unfinished after Stanford’s No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams clinched the doubles point.

In singles, No. 20 Davidson jumped to a 3-0 lead in under 10 minutes as Stanford’s No. 1 player. Davidson continued to overpower Santa Clara’s Madison Clarke 6-0, 6-0 as the first singles match to finish.

Yee was nearly as dominant at the No. 6 spot, overcoming Elizabeth Stephens 6-1, 6-0 to clinch the Cardinal’s second singles win of the day.

Doyle’s first few games against Chelby Cooke were marked by long rallies that had both girls chasing down shots across the court. After No. 39 Doyle went up 3-2 in the first set, however, she was unstoppable. Doyle did not drop another game as she won 6-2, 6-0 and clinched the match for Stanford for the 10th time in her college career.

Hardebeck’s forceful groundstrokes carried her to a 6-2, 6-1 win over Daniella Silva and Lampl followed with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Zeina El Tawil.

The women’s team gathered on the adjacent court to cheer on freshman Melissa Lord, who prevailed 6-4 in an almost hour-long first set. Lord dominated in the second set and finished with a final score of 6-4, 6-0.

“There are plenty of challenges this winter,” Forood said. “This is about competing and doing what we can do with a pretty strong team, even without Carol involved right now. These first three months are mostly about the freshmen getting experience.”

The Cardinal women travel to Nashville, Tennessee later this week to face off against No. 25 Mississippi and defending NCAA Champion Vanderbilt, who enters the 2016 season ranked No. 1. The Cardinal men host San Diego State on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Broadway Tennis Center in Burlingame, California.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Jim and Joe Rosa: Beyond skin-deep similarities https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/jim-and-joe-rosa-beyond-skin-deep-similarities/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/jim-and-joe-rosa-beyond-skin-deep-similarities/#respond Wed, 20 Jan 2016 09:28:00 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109569 Every year in middle school, Jim and Joe Rosa would run the required mile in gym class. The identical twins always outstripped the other students, but the real competition was just between the two of them. “If I ran faster than him, I’d walk into his class and trash talk him,” Joe recalled. “If he […]

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Every year in middle school, Jim and Joe Rosa would run the required mile in gym class. The identical twins always outstripped the other students, but the real competition was just between the two of them.

“If I ran faster than him, I’d walk into his class and trash talk him,” Joe recalled. “If he ran faster than me, he’d come into my class and say, ‘I got you.’”

In the backyard pool, Jim and Joe would race incessantly, cajoling their mother to keep time with a stopwatch as they tried to beat each other’s best times. They also tested themselves against their older siblings, Kikki and Larry, who went on to swim for Rutgers University. In high school, the twins climbed to the top of the national cross country rankings while placing first and second at a series of elite meets. They often finished seconds apart, although Joe tended to edge out Jim.

Going to the same college wasn’t always the plan. But both Jim and Joe were inspired by the achievements of then-Cardinal superstars Elliott Heath, Jake Riley and Chris Derrick, who finished 1-2-3 and only fractions of a second apart to help Stanford claim the 2010 Pac-10 team title. To the Rosas, the trio’s accomplishments represented a program in which every runner contributed to the team’s success overall.

The Rosas have pursued their running — and sibling rivalry — from their hometown of West Windsor, New Jersey to Stanford. Both fifth-year seniors have been named All-Americans in cross country and track and field: Joe has earned the honor three times while Jim has twice. Now in their final year on The Farm, Jim and Joe helped lead Stanford cross country to a third-place finish in the 2015 NCAA championships, which took place in late November. They will compete for Stanford as distance runners during the indoor and outdoor track seasons and are aiming to qualify for this summer’s Olympics.

Jim and Joe rarely run together on long training runs, which are supposed to be at a controlled pace. If the twins are together, their competitive streaks can turn a 15-mile run into a de facto race, sapping energy that is needed for actual race days.

Head coach Chris Miltenberg doesn’t waste the opportunity for good-natured teasing.

“He always makes fun of us for not running together,” Joe said with a laugh. “He hasn’t been able to convince us to do it yet.”

Miltenberg has coached identical twins before the Rosas, however, and his priority when coaching twins is to recognize them as individuals.

“I always get a kick out of it,” Miltenberg said. “But I’m not a twin. They probably need that space from each other.”

Miltenberg admires the Rosas’ competitive spirit and has worked hard to make sure Jim and Joe channel their motivation to benefit the team as a whole. The Rosas credit much of their collegiate success to Miltenberg and assistant coach John Oliver, who both started coaching at Stanford during the twins’ sophomore year. Miltenberg’s emphasis on a team ethos has shaped the Rosas’ time at The Farm.

“In the four years that I’ve been here, we’ve changed things quite a lot,” said Miltenberg. “[Jim and Joe] were some of the key guys that bought in right off the bat.”

Not long after Miltenberg’s arrival on the Farm, Joe recalled the then-new coach admonishing a runner who had arrived to practice a few minutes late: Be on time or don’t come at all.

It is Miltenberg’s seemingly boundless energy and commitment that won the Rosas’ respect — and motivated them to fulfill his high expectations. Those same traits can also be an opportunity for humor. Once, Miltenberg started an early morning practice by saying he had hardly slept the night before. The cause of his sleeplessness: thinking about the team had made him too fired up to rest.

“We’re like, ‘Coach, you have two kids and a wife. Do you ever stop thinking about us?’” Joe recalled facetiously. Then he reflected more seriously on Miltenberg’s influence. “He lives it. We’d be doing him a disservice if we didn’t live it as well.”

Under Miltenberg’s guidance, the Rosas have excelled at the height of collegiate competition in cross country and track. At the 2014 NCAA outdoor track championships, Jim finished sixth in the 10,000 meters in 28:57.51. At the same meet, Joe placed seventh in the 5,000 meters in 13:31.69.

The Rosas’ father swam on Puerto Rico’s national team, and the twins hope to follow in his footsteps by representing Puerto Rico at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Since 1984, Puerto Rico has sent its own team to the Olympics despite being a commonwealth of the United States.)

Jim is a few inches taller than Joe and is said to have a rounder jaw. But upon first meeting them, the differences between the tall, red-headed Rosas are barely discernible, if at all. Growing up, the twins say they used to trade places in school, although they could never fool their parents.

The similarities are not only cosmetic, according to teammate and close friend Justin Brinkley, a senior.

“They tend to break out into the same song or quote at the same time,” Brinkley said. “And it’s almost always in the context of making a joke.”

Despite these similarities, the Rosas say it does not take long for their Stanford teammates to learn how to tell them apart. That is a sign of how much time the team spends together, even outside of practice. If his teammates are not sleeping or doing homework, said Brinkley, they’re likely hanging out with each other.

As twins, the Rosas have a unique bond — and rivalry. But they also fit seamlessly into the greater ethos of the team.

For the Rosas, meaningful memories with teammates range from the inspiring examples set by former, older teammates to lighthearted moments and idiosyncratic traditions. Each spring, the team makes sure to rally together for Midnight Breakfast, one night when the dining halls serve breakfast at midnight. Jim and Joe agree that Midnight Breakfast is their favorite campus tradition, even though they and their teammates are often more enthusiastic than anyone else in the dining hall.

The Rosas have grown into leaders on the team, as they strive to set the example with Miltenberg’s emphasis on discipline. This commitment and close bond with their teammates has defined the Rosas’ experience as Stanford athletes.

“I care about how my teammates do,” Joe said. “That’s the most important thing. So it’s hard to have any more expectations for Jim or care any more about Jim than I do for the rest of my team.”

But even with the team as their priority, it’s hard to keep the sibling rivalry at bay for long.

“The only time I’m really thinking about Joe in a race is the last hundred meters,” Jim said. “If he’s near me, then pride really sets in.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Tennis teams notch individual victories to kick off spring season https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/tennis-teams-notch-individual-victories-to-kick-off-spring-season/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/tennis-teams-notch-individual-victories-to-kick-off-spring-season/#respond Wed, 20 Jan 2016 09:01:33 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109470 In tournaments across the country over the last week, Cardinal men’s and women’s tennis players notched individual wins to kick off their spring season. Players from the No. 20 men’s and No. 8 women’s teams competed in collegiate tournaments in the Greater Los Angeles Area, Indian Wells and Las Vegas, as well as in a professional […]

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Taylor Davidson
Junior Taylor Davidson (above) had a strong opening to the season, winning the doubles title at Indian Wells with partner junior Caroline Doyle, while reaching the second round in the singles draw. (KAREN AMBROSE HICKEY/stanfordphoto.com)

In tournaments across the country over the last week, Cardinal men’s and women’s tennis players notched individual wins to kick off their spring season. Players from the No. 20 men’s and No. 8 women’s teams competed in collegiate tournaments in the Greater Los Angeles Area, Indian Wells and Las Vegas, as well as in a professional tournament in Florida. Both teams begin team competitions for the season with dual matches at home this week.

Three of the six Stanford men competing advanced past the first round of the 32-person singles draw at the Sherwood Cup in Thousand Oaks, Californiamidst stiff competition from players representing No. 4 Baylor, No. 8 USC and No. 14 UCLA. Senior Nolan Paige and freshman Sameer Kumar fell in the second round, while freshman Michael Genender notched two wins before falling 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to UCLA’s Gage Brymer in the quarterfinals.

Juniors Roy Lederman and Brandon Sutter, along with sophomore David Wilczynski, fell in the first round of the main draw. Lederman and Wilczynski rallied for one win each in the consolation ladder.

Two Stanford teams reached the semifinals in doubles. Paige and Wilczynski were stopped when Baylor’s Jimmy Bendeck and Will Little pulled out a tight match at 7-5. Kumar and Genender fell 6-2 to the eventual champions, UCLA’s Karue Sell and Joseph Di Giulio.

In the finals of the doubles consolation ladder, Lederman and Sutter were defeated by UCLA’s Austin Rapp and Gage Brymer.

At the NCTC Classic in Indian Wells, California, juniors Taylor Davidson and Caroline Doyle won their third doubles title in a dominant 6-0 victory over University of Arizona team Shayne Austin and Lauren Marker. Senior Lindsey Kostas and freshman Naomie Rosenberg won one doubles match before losing 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

In singles play, Doyle reached the semifinals before falling 6-4, 6-4 in a closely-contested match to Arizona State’s Desirae Krawczyk. Davidson won one match before losing 6-0, 6-2 in the second round to Kinga Gartner from the University of Arizona. Kostas and Rosenberg each lost in the first round. In the consolation draw, Rosenberg rallied to win 6-1, 6-4 over Laura Luca from UCLA.

In Las Vegas, freshman Caroline Lampl clinched the consolation singles title at the Freeman Memorial Invitational. Lampl rebounded for the win after a losing a three-set battle, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, against Florida’s Spencer Liang, who is ranked No. 73 nationally.

Senior Krista Hardebeck and freshman Melissa Lord reached the quarterfinals in the the singles main draw. Freshman Kimberly Yee failed to secure a win, along with freshman Elizabeth Yao and sophomore Paulette Wolak.

In doubles, the freshmen pairing of Lord and Yee reached the semifinals before falling 7-6 to USC’s Giuliana Olmos and Gabby Smith, the fourth-ranked doubles team nationally.

Junior Carol Zhao, last year’s NCAA Singles Championship runner-up, is testing herself on the professional circuit before the key matches of the college season. Last week, Zhao won one singles match and advanced to the doubles finals at the USTA Pro Futures of Daytona Beach, Florida. Zhao is entered to compete in USTA Pro Futures tournaments at Wesley Chapel and Sunrise over the next two weeks.

On Wednesday, the men’s team will face off against Sacramento State at 10:30 a.m. and UC Davis at 3 p.m. at Stanford’s Taube Tennis Center to kick off the Cardinal’s dual match season. The Cardinal women will host their first dual match on Friday against Santa Clara at 3 p.m.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Track and field sweep clean at UW Indoor Preview https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/track-and-field-sweep-clean-at-uw-indoor-preview/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/20/track-and-field-sweep-clean-at-uw-indoor-preview/#respond Wed, 20 Jan 2016 08:59:24 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109472 The Stanford men’s and women’s track and field teams opened their season on Saturday in Seattle by securing record results in multiple events.  “When you have a group that has synergy like that, all of a sudden the results start to happen,” head coach Chris Miltenberg said. “This weekend was an awesome indication of that.” Both the men’s and […]

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The Stanford men’s and women’s track and field teams opened their season on Saturday in Seattle by securing record results in multiple events

“When you have a group that has synergy like that, all of a sudden the results start to happen,” head coach Chris Miltenberg said. “This weekend was an awesome indication of that.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams are ranked No. 13 nationally, and Stanford contended with not only collegiate but also professional runners at the University of Washington Indoor Preview.

Darian Brooks (CASEY VALENTINE/stanfordphoto.com)
 Fifth-year senior Darian Brooks (above) began the 2016 indoor track season by setting the school record in the triple jump, breaking his own previous Stanford record. (CASEY VALENTINE/stanfordphoto.com)

One of the most notable achievements was set forth by fifth-year senior Darian Brooks, who notched the longest triple jump in the history of Stanford track and field — both indoor and outdoor. Brooks’ jump, landing at 52 feet and 9 ¼ inches, bested his own prior school record and resulted in second place at the meet.

“Usually first meets are just for getting the jitters out,” Brooks said. “To have a PR in the first meet of the season tells me I have big things ahead.”

In addition to his impressive result, Brooks said another highlight of the meet was the Stanford team’s spirit.

“I was running back and forth across the field, yelling at my pole vaulters and Dartis [Willis], the high jumper,” said Brooks, who counts himself among the team’s loudest cheerers. “Everybody was looking at us like we were crazy, but we didn’t care.”

Junior Jaak Uudmae followed Brooks in third place with a jump of 51 feet and 5 ¾ inches and moved up to No. 4 on Stanford’s indoor record list ahead of former Cardinal and current Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman ’10.

Stanford went 1-2-3 in men’s pole vault, with respective finishes by junior Dylan Duvio, senior Garrett Starkey and sophomore Harrison Williams. The three vaulters had the same final result of 17 feet and 3 inches, but Duvio clinched the title by having the fewest number of missed jumps.

Fifth-year senior Dartis Willis had a breakthrough performance in the high jump, clearing 7 feet for the first time since 2012. Willis placed third but was the top collegiate athlete in his event with a final result of 7 feet and ½ inches.

Jackson Shumway placed second in the 400 meters, equaling his best outdoor time in the open 400 at 47.71.

After a disappointing cross country season cut short by injury, graduate transfer Collin Leibold ran the fastest collegiate mile yet this season in 4:02.65. Leibold set a personal record and placed fourth at the meet, just over one second behind Nike-sponsored professional runner Trevor Dunbar.

Triumphs were not only seen by the men’s team, but also the women’s team, which held nothing back during the meet. Junior Malika Waschmann scored her first collegiate victory, clinching the 800 meters in 2:08.96. In the 1,000 meters, senior Rebecca Mehra secured the lead down the back stretch and won the race in 2:45.28.

Sophomore Olivia Baker took advantage of the rare opportunity to compete in the 600 meters, which is not typically included in collegiate meets. Baker broke her own school record, clocking in at 1:29.08 and placing third.

This meet has foreshadowed what’s to come for Stanford track and field. The teams will next compete at the Penn State National Invitational in University Park, Pennsylvania on Jan. 29.

While the plan is for athletes to peak at championship meets later in the season, Miltenberg said that he expects full effort at every meet — just like he saw at the UW Indoor Preview.
“One of the things we always preach,” said Miltenberg, “[Is that] we put in the same effort at the first meet of the year that we do at the NCAA Championships or at the Olympic Trials.”

“Keep an eye on the Stanford track and field team,” Brooks said. “We’re going to do big things this year.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Track and field teams to open indoor season this weekend https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/13/track-and-field-teams-to-open-indoor-season-this-weekend/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/13/track-and-field-teams-to-open-indoor-season-this-weekend/#respond Thu, 14 Jan 2016 07:59:47 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109294 The Stanford men’s and women’s track and field teams will open the indoor season at the University of Washington Indoor Preview on Saturday in Seattle, Washington. Both teams are ranked No. 13 in preseason rankings released Tuesday. This year, the Cardinal women will look to build on last year’s success — which culminated in an eighth-place finish […]

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The Stanford men’s and women’s track and field teams will open the indoor season at the University of Washington Indoor Preview on Saturday in Seattle, Washington. Both teams are ranked No. 13 in preseason rankings released Tuesday.

STANFORD, CA - April 11, 2015: Stanford hosts Cal for the Big Meet at Stanford University in Stanford, California. Women's score: Stanford 111, Cal 49. Men's score: Stanford 62, Cal 101.
The UW Indoor Preview has been a successful event for sophomore Olivia Baker. Last year, Baker won the 600 meters in her collegiate debut, setting a school record of 1:29.42. (DAVID BERNAL/isiphotos.com)

This year, the Cardinal women will look to build on last year’s success — which culminated in an eighth-place finish in the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships — as well as lay the groundwork for a strong outdoor season.

The Cardinal women boast three runners who have placed second at an NCAA Championship meet: All-American senior Claudia Saunders in the 800 meters, sophomore Elise Cranny in the 3,000 meters and fifth-year senior Aisling Cuffe in the 5,000 meters.

The women’s team placed second in the NCAA indoor distance medley relay in 2014 and 2015. Three runners from last year’s school-record-setting distance medley lineup — Saunders, Cranny, the 2014 Pac-12 Cross-Country Freshman of the Year, and sophomore Olivia Baker, the world junior relay gold medalist in 2014 — have returned to the Cardinal’s roster. The 4×400-meter relay lineup from the 2015 outdoor NCAA meet — Baker, senior Kristyn Williams, who holds the Stanford record in the 400 meters, sophomore Gaby Gayles and sophomore Michaela Crunkleton Wilson — will also look to return in full force.

At the UW Invitational last year, Baker won the 600 meters in her collegiate debut, setting a school record of 1:29.42. On Saturday, Baker will seek to defend her win in the 600 as well as compete in the 400 meters, in which she has a personal best of 52.46.

Starting off the indoor season with the Stanford runners will be a new addition to the coaching staff: Sprints and hurdles coach Gabe Sanders is beginning his first season on The Farm after coaching for six years at Boston University.

Baker said that Sanders combines a positive, energetic coaching style with an emphasis on technique. Sanders sets aside time at least twice a week to focus solely on good posture and propulsion, said Baker.

“That’s made my race more efficient with each step,” Baker said. “I’ve enjoyed it.”

On the men’s side, the Cardinal has an impressive lineup and will seek to rebound from last season’s disappointment. The Cardinal men did not score at the NCAA Indoor Championships last year, after junior Thomas Coyle took a hard fall during a rough-and-tumble first leg of the distance medley relay.

The men’s cross country prowess should carry over to benefit the indoor track team. Stanford placed third at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in November, in which fifth-year senior Jim Rosa placed sixth in 29:52.7, junior Sean McGorty placed seventh in 29:53.4 and Jim Rosa’s twin Joe placed 97th in 30:55.8. The Rosas and McGorty are among the seven Cardinal runners who have broken 14 minutes in the 5,000 meters.

Stanford also has standouts in short distance and field events. Junior pole vaulter Dylan Duvio placed third and sophomore heptathlete Harrison Williams placed fourth at the 2015 NCAA outdoor track meet. Fifth-year senior Darian Brooks has won three Pac-12 conference titles in the triple jump.

Even with such a talented roster, Baker said that the team expects tough competition and is ready to work hard to achieve their goals.

“In college, everybody’s at the top of their game,” Baker said. “You know every race is going to be a tough race.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Men’s and women’s tennis begin spring competition https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/13/final_ap-mens-tennis-looks-to-compete-in-the-sherwood-cup-women-head-to-indian-wells-and-las-vegas/ https://stanforddaily.com/2016/01/13/final_ap-mens-tennis-looks-to-compete-in-the-sherwood-cup-women-head-to-indian-wells-and-las-vegas/#respond Wed, 13 Jan 2016 09:00:24 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1109227 Kicking off the spring season this weekend, the No. 20 men’s tennis team will compete in the Sherwood Cup in Thousand Oaks, California, while the No. 8 women’s team will send players to tournaments in Las Vegas, Nevada and Indian Wells, California. The Sherwood Cup will provide stiff competition for the Cardinal, as it includes […]

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Kicking off the spring season this weekend, the No. 20 men’s tennis team will compete in the Sherwood Cup in Thousand Oaks, California, while the No. 8 women’s team will send players to tournaments in Las Vegas, Nevada and Indian Wells, California.

Sophomore Tom Fawcett led the men's tennis team last year in the No. 1 spot with a 26-12 record. He is currently ninth in the nation according to Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)
Sophomore Tom Fawcett (above) led the men’s tennis team last year in the No. 1 spot with a 26-12 record. He is currently ranked ninth in the nation according to Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

The Sherwood Cup will provide stiff competition for the Cardinal, as it includes men’s players from No. 4 Baylor, No. 8 USC and No. 14 UCLA. But if the team can carry last year’s success into the new season, the Cardinal should be up for the challenge, especially with sophomore Tom Fawcett at the top of the ladder for the second year.

The men’s team had a breakthrough outdoor season in 2015, which included earning a share of the Pac-12 regular-season championship for the first time since 2010 as well as upset victories over Cal, USC and UCLA.

Fawcett notched an outstanding winning record (26-12) as a freshman playing at the No. 1 spot and is currently ranked a career-high ninth in the nation, according to Oracle/ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings.

Fawcett will be warmed up for this weekend’s matches, as he competed just last week at the USTA Pro Futures of Los Angeles, where he advanced to the second round of the main draw before losing 6-3, 6-4 to No. 1 seed Tennys Sandgren. Fawcett entered the qualifying draw as the 12th seed and won three matches to reach the main draw.

In the qualifying draw, Fawcett collected a notable win over No. 2 seed Raymond Sarmiento with a score of 6-3, 6-0. Sarmiento is a former ITA All-American who graduated from USC in 2014 and is currently ranked No. 480 in the professional world circuit.

Stanford freshman Michael Genender fell one win short of qualifying for the main draw. Genender gave up only two games in his first two matches before losing 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 to Nicholas Hu in the final round of the qualifying draw.

Following the tournament in Los Angeles, Genender notched two wins in the qualifying draw for the USTA Pro Futures in Long Beach, California. Also in the tournament, Fawcett started play in the main draw but fell in the first round 6-3, 6-0, 7-5.

Other players who have earned significant victories in the last few months include sophomore David Wilczynski and seniors Nolan Paige and Maciek Romanowicz. Wilczynski won the singles title and Paige and Romanowicz claimed the doubles title at the men’s USTA/ITA Regional tournament on Oct. 26.

The men’s team originally was scheduled to play a double header at home on Jan. 13, but that event was postponed to Jan. 20, due to forecasted rain. The Cardinal will host Sacramento State and UC Davis at the Taube Tennis Center for the double header to kick off the Cardinal’s dual match season.

The Cardinal women, historically the most successful women’s collegiate program in the country, also look poised for another strong season.

Five of six players have returned from last spring’s lineup, which reached the NCAA Quarterfinals, with only Ellen Tsay ’15 having graduated. Juniors Carol Zhao, ranked No. 1 in preseason polls, Taylor Davidson, ranked 20th nationally, and Caroline Doyle, ranked 39th, should help lead the Cardinal this season. Davidson and Doyle are the No. 10 doubles team in the nation.

In the Freeman Memorial Invitational in Las Vegas, the Cardinal will be represented by senior Krista Hardebeck, sophomore Paulette Wolak and freshmen Caroline Lampl, Melissa Lord, Elizabeth Yao and Kimberly Yee. The Cardinal won the doubles title at the Freeman Memorial Invitational in 2014 and 2015.

In Indian Wells, California, senior Lindsey Kostas, freshman Naomie Rosenberg, Davidson and Doyle will compete in the NCTC Classic. Davidson and junior Carol Zhao claimed the doubles title at the NCTC Classic last year.

The Cardinal may miss the formidable presence of Zhao, who will not compete this week. Last year, Zhao was the NCAA Singles Championship runner-up and led the women’s team with a 35-5 overall record while playing all of her matches at the No. 1 spot.

The women’s first dual match will be at home against Santa Clara on Jan. 22.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Stanford men place third, women 14th at hard-fought NCAAs https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/21/cross-country-looks-to-push-past-injuries-for-strong-finish-at-ncaas/ https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/21/cross-country-looks-to-push-past-injuries-for-strong-finish-at-ncaas/#respond Sat, 21 Nov 2015 10:53:22 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1107916 [View the story “Cross country looks to push past injuries for strong finish at NCAAs” on Storify]

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Cross country teams fight through injuries en route to NCAA Championships https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/19/cross-country-teams-fight-through-injuries-en-route-to-ncaa-championships/ https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/19/cross-country-teams-fight-through-injuries-en-route-to-ncaa-championships/#respond Thu, 19 Nov 2015 09:03:05 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1107448 At first glance, this cross country season seems like business as usual for the Cardinal. The No. 3 men’s and No. 13 women’s teams claimed their usual spots among the 31 teams who have qualified for the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday. This season marks the 22nd-consecutive year that both the Cardinal men and […]

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At first glance, this cross country season seems like business as usual for the Cardinal.

STANFORD, CA - April 3, 2015: Stanford hosts the Stanford Invitational Track Meet at Stanford University in Stanford, California.
After sitting out for almost all of last year with an injury, sophomore Julia Maxwell (above) has been a strong No. 2 runner for Stanford this year, most recently placing 18th in the NCAA West Regional. (DAVID BERNAL/stanfordphoto.com)

The No. 3 men’s and No. 13 women’s teams claimed their usual spots among the 31 teams who have qualified for the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky. on Saturday. This season marks the 22nd-consecutive year that both the Cardinal men and women will compete at the NCAA Championships — the longest ongoing streak in the nation.

Last year the Cardinal men were the NCAA runner-ups, and five of last year’s NCAA lineup will compete again on Saturday. The women’s team placed 14th and is looking to extend its current streak of 22 consecutive NCAA top-16 finishes.

But amidst all the consistency, head coach Chris Miltenberg, who is nearing the end of his fourth season at Stanford, says that each season comes with its share of surprises.

“Every season is a completely new story,” Miltenberg said. “You may even have the exact same people, same athletes, but you never swim in the same river twice.”

What has distinguished the Cardinal’s 2015 cross country season story is not the fact that they find themselves in the championships once again — although that is impressive. The story of this season is what has preceded Louisville: The setbacks, perseverance and breakthroughs behind Stanford’s return to the NCAA Championships.

“This season is already a huge success,” Miltenberg said. “Nobody outside of our family would understand what we mean by that. But if you’ve been in our house for the last three months and seen all the adversity we’ve dealt with, that’s a huge testament to this team and where we’re headed.”

On the men’s team, injuries kept Collin Leibold, a graduate transfer from Georgetown, and Jim Rosa, a fifth-year senior and cross-country All-American, out of competition until the Oct. 30 Pac-12 Championships. Uncertainty surrounding the lineup took its toll at the Oct. 2 Wisconsin Invitational, where the Cardinal placed 21st. The team’s national ranking dropped from its preseason No. 2 spot to No. 23, but rebounded to No. 4 after the Cardinal placed second at the Pac-12 meet.

“While Wisconsin wasn’t the best race, it was a wake-up call of sorts,” junior Sean McGorty said. “It helped us figure out what we need to do and find the soul of the team.”

The Cardinal women had a more consistent season and notched top-four finishes in all six meets. But they also suffered a loss of star power: Sophomore and 2014 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Elise Cranny did not compete this season due to injury.

Amidst the rain and mud at the NCAA West Regional in Seattle last week, the Cardinal women placed fourth behind Oregon, Boise State and Washington. Automatic berths to the NCAA Championships are given only to the top two finishers at each regional meet, but the Cardinal women claimed one of 13 at-large spots, partly thanks to the team’s third-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships.

Fifth-year senior and two-time Pac-12 women’s cross country champion Aisling Cuffe did not compete at the NCAA West Regional meet as an injury precaution. Without Cuffe, the team relied on depth. All seven Stanford runners finished within 22 seconds seconds of each other and were separated by 24 places.

Junior Sophie Chase placed 15th out of 242 runners in her first meet as the Cardinal’s No. 1 runner, covering the 6-kilometer course in 21:04.6. Sophomore Julia Maxwell ran at the Cardinal’s No. 2 spot to place 18th in 21:06.4.

“We were able to find each other in the race and run together,” said Maxwell, who raced in only one meet last year due to injury. “Seeing my teammates around me definitely made me more motivated to stay with them and keep passing people.”

The Cardinal men placed second at the NCAA West Regional, qualifying automatically for the NCAA Championships along with first-place Washington. Most men’s collegiate cross country courses are 8-kilometers, but the NCAA West Regional meet and the NCAA Championships are both 10-kilometer races — within 10 days of each other. Given the added distance and short recovery period, the men’s team sought to run at a controlled pace.

Jim Rosa, who at the Pac-12 meet was Stanford’s No. 5 runner, led the Cardinal at the NCAA West Regional, placing sixth in 31:14.9 out of 205 runners. McGorty and Joe Rosa, Jim Rosa’s twin brother and fellow cross-country All-American, finished within one second of Jim Rosa. McGorty placed seventh in 31:15.1, while Joe Rosa placed eighth in 31:15.3. Senior Garrett Sweatt placed 20th in 31:35.0.

Freshman Grant Fisher, a two-time Foot Locker high school national champion and sub-four minute miler, and junior Jack Keelan were rested instead of competing at the NCAA West Regional. Both will compete in NCAA Championships on Saturday and look to vault Stanford toward the coveted title that it barely missed last year.

The championships will take place this Saturday at E.P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park. The women’s race time is 9 a.m., and the men’s race is at 10 a.m.

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

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Cross country teams look to qualify for NCAAs at regional meet https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/13/cross-country-teams-look-to-qualify-for-ncaas-at-regional-meet/ https://stanforddaily.com/2015/11/13/cross-country-teams-look-to-qualify-for-ncaas-at-regional-meet/#respond Fri, 13 Nov 2015 11:17:43 +0000 https://stanforddaily.com/?p=1106974 No. 4 Stanford men’s cross country and No. 11 women’s cross country will seek to maintain their postseason momentum at the NCAA West Regional meet on Friday in Seattle. The regional meet is the final race before the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. The regional meet offers a chance for the Cardinal […]

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No. 4 Stanford men’s cross country and No. 11 women’s cross country will seek to maintain their postseason momentum at the NCAA West Regional meet on Friday in Seattle. The regional meet is the final race before the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Fifth-year senior Aisling Cuffe (right) is poised for a strong finish in the NCAA Regionals after winning the Pac-12 Championships in 19:53:1 (RICHARD ERSTED/stanfordphoto.com)
Fifth-year senior Aisling Cuffe (right) is poised for a strong finish in the NCAA Regionals after winning the Pac-12 Championships in 19:53.1. The conference championship was Cuffe’s second race this season after coming back from injury. (RICHARD ERSTED/stanfordphoto.com)

The regional meet offers a chance for the Cardinal men and women to clinch spots in the NCAA Championships. The Cardinal men’s second-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships on Oct. 30 makes them a heavy favorite for an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships.

On the women’s side, Stanford, Oregon, Boise State and Washington are in close competition for an automatic berth. The Cardinal women should not have to depend on an automatic berth, however. The team is in good shape to claim one of 13 at-large spots for the NCAA Championships, partly thanks to the team’s third-place finish at the Pac-12 Championships.

“We want to make sure that we come out of this as best prepared as we can for the NCAA meet,” head coach Chris Miltenberg said. “Doing what we do, racing our way, whether it’s the first meet of the year or the national championship, is how you get ready to run well at the national meet.”

The Cardinal women are a regular fixture at the NCAA Championships: The team will be looking to extend its current streak of 22 consecutive NCAA top-16 finishes.

“We’re going to go up there and compete really well,” Miltenberg continued. “We just need to make sure we take care of business and get ourselves qualified for next week.”

The women’s third-place Pac-12 finish was headlined by fifth-year senior Aisling Cuffe, who won the meet for her second time, covering the 6-kilometer course in 19:53.1. After missing nearly 15 months of competitive racing due to injury, Cuffe’s victory was just her second race of the season. Cuffe earned two additional conference honors: Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year, the latter of which she won for the second straight year.

Although sophomore and 2014 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Elise Cranny has not competed so far this season due to injury, the Cardinal women have benefited from consistent contributions throughout the lineup, including breakthrough seasons from junior Vanessa Fraser and sophomore Julia Maxwell. The team has notched top-three finishes in four of its five total races this season. Its lowest team finish has been a still-impressive fourth out of 45 teams at the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 17 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Cardinal’s depth on both the men’s and women’s side was made evident last week, when five Stanford runners were announced as picks for the All-Pac-12 teams. Cuffe and Sean McGorty, this season’s Pac-12 men’s runner-up, were selected for the first teams. Grant Fisher and Joe Rosa made the men’s second team and Vanessa Fraser is on the women’s second team.

The Cardinal men have rebounded after an uncertain start to the season, which included a 21st-place finish at the Wisconsin Invitational on Oct. 2. The Cardinal men’s national ranking briefly dropped from its preseason No. 2 spot to No. 23, but climbed back to No. 4 in the poll released last week. Various injuries kept many of the team’s top runners out of competition early in the season.

At the Pac-12 meet, many of those top runners helped the team to its runner-up finish. Fifth-year seniors and cross country All-Americans Joe and Jim Rosa came back from injuries to place eighth and 20th, respectively, out of 79 runners. Freshman Grant Fisher, a two-time Foot Locker high school national champion, placed 16th in his collegiate debut.

“We’re really emphasizing that no matter who we put on the line, we want to be able to put up a good team effort,” Joe Rosa said. “We have three weeks left, and I think it’s going to be our best yet.”

 

Contact Alexa Corse at corsea ‘at’ stanford.edu.

 

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