Joe Soriano
O.J. LewisUCLA Women win 2008 NCAA Tennis Title
May 21st 2008 06:53
Riza Zalameda leads UCLA ladies tennis team to title
It came down to the California Golden Bears who have made the NCAA’s Women’s Tennis Tournament in all 27 years it has been held facing the UCLA Bruins who have finished second five times before. The two teams were fighting for the National Title.
Bruins coach Stella Sampras Webster was part of four of those five runner-up teams. Twice as a player (1989, 1991), and twice as coach (2004, 2007). This time around she finally got her title to bring home to the Golden State.
Riza Zalameda came from behind in her match against Cal’s Susie Babos, 3-6 / 6-3 / 6-2 to clinch the title for her team. She finished it with an overhead smash that completed her rally of winning two straight sets. Afterward she commented, My first match point, I heard everyone just uproar and I double-faulted because I just got so scared. The next point, I just made that time my time. Time for UCLA. Time for history.”
It was the 102nd National Title won by a UCLA team, the first by the ladies’ Tennis team. Nine days ago they won their 101st by winning the Water Polo title. It is the most NCAA titles of any school.
Many players from the team will be remaining in Tulsa, Oklahoma where the tournament was held, for this week’s singles and doubles competition which begins Wednesday. Zalameda is the No. 8 seed in the singles competition, with Andrea Remynse, Tracy Lin, and Yasmin Schnack also set to play singles. Lin and Zalameda are the No. 1 seeded team in the doubles competition.
Finals Results:
Doubles
1. (1) Lin/Zalameda (UCLA) def. (12) Babos/Kusano (Cal) 9-7
2. (56) Lumpkin/Stephanie Wetmore (UCLA) def. Cossou/Ilcinkas (Cal) 8-4
3. McGoodwin/Schnack (UCLA) def. (54) Bobusic/Visico (Cal) 8-6
UCLA Wins Doubles Point -- Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles
1. (8) Riza Zalameda (UCLA) def. (20) Susie Babos (Cal) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2*
2. (30) Tracy Lin (UCLA) vs. (4) Marina Cossou (Cal) 6-7(4), 4-5 Susp.
3. (42) Yasmin Schnack (UCLA) vs. (35) Cristina Visico (Cal) 4-6, 6-1, 2-3 Susp.
4. (54) Andrea Remynse (UCLA) def. (40) Claire Ilcinkas (Cal) 7-6(5), 6-2
5. (105) Elizabeth Lumpkin (UCLA) vs. Stephanie Kusano (Cal) 6-2, 5-7, 3-1 Susp.
6. (124) Alex McGoodwin (UCLA) def. (92) Bojana Bobusic (Cal) 6-4, 6-1
| 49 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
