Rolex/ITCA Tennis Championships : Thomas, Harges Upset Top Two Seeded Players

It was a day of upsets Saturday as the top two seeded players lost semifinal matches in the Rolex/ITCA Southern California Collegiate Women’s Tennis Championships at UC Irvine.

Top-seeded Mary Norwood of USC lost to fourth-seeded Jane Thomas of UCLA, 6-1, 6-2, and second-seeded Ann Moeller of San Diego State was defeated by eighth-seeded Stephanie Harges of USC, 7-6, 6-2.

In the first match, Thomas, played an aggressive serve-and-volley game to advance to today’s final against Harges. Thomas, a senior, dominated the net throughout the match, surging and digging for Norwood’s strong cross-court shots.

“Today’s two matches were as good as any she’s ever played while at UCLA,” Bruin Coach Bill Zaima said. “Most girls haven’t the second serve that Jane has, nor the competitiveness at the net. She knows how to shift gears from fast to slow. She definitely has the potential to contend for the national singles title . . . as long as she doesn’t doubt herself.”

There seemed to be little need for that Saturday. Thomas’ game consisted of one great shot after another, something she attributed to her ability to concentrate on the point in play.

“I felt I played pretty smart today,” Thomas said. “I like to serve and volley the entire match, but instead of just hitting and going for a winner, my goal is to win each point, to work each shot, not just think about winning the whole game at once.”

Harges, a sophomore, stayed at the baseline throughout the match, charging the net only on Moeller’s drop volleys. Although Moeller missed a few key shots in the first set, it was Harges’ powerful forehand that helped her win the tie-breaking set.

“I was playing really well and was up 5-2 (in the first set),” Harges said. “But Anne started hitting winners, and when we got to the tiebreaker I decided not to play so cautiously. I usually play the baseline, but I’m working on coming up (to the net) . . . like for the match tomorrow.”

Today’s final starts at 10 a.m. and Harges and Thomas will no doubt take careful note of each other’s contrasting styles.