NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship : Stanford Sweeps Singles to Put Away UCLA, 5-0

Kylie Johnson scored a key singles win to lead Stanford to a 5-0 victory over UCLA Sunday for the Cardinal’s fourth consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Assn. women’s tennis championship.

The championship for Stanford, which finished 29-0 in dual matches, was also its sixth in the last eight years. For the 25th time this season, the Cardinal did not need doubles play to decide a match.

“I’d have to think this is our best team,” Stanford Coach Frank Brennan said. “It dominated like no other team I’ve had. The performance today was just excellent. I just had to open up the balls and stay out of the way.”

Stanford, which won 25 of its 26 singles matches during the tournament, took five singles matches in straight sets to beat UCLA, which finished 21-5. Stanford’s Tami Whitlinger split sets with Jessica Emmons at No. 1 singles, but the match was halted before a third set because the team title had been decided.

Brennan said the key to Sunday’s domination might have been the play of Johnson at No. 6 singles. The freshman defeated Kirsten Dreyer, 6-2, 6-2, in the first match.

“It might have been significant when the UCLA players saw Dreyer lose,” Brennan said. “Soon after that, it all came apart.”

Next, Stanford’s Debbie Graham, who finished 27-0 at No. 4 singles, downed Stella Sampras, 6-3, 6-3. Sandra Birch stopped Alysia May, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 2. Lisa Green defeated Mamie Ceniza, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 3. Teri Whitlinger beat Iwalani McCalla, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 5.

“I don’t think we just breezed through this,” Green said. “We had a lot of tough matches. Everyone just happened to peak at nationals. . . . Everyone expected us to win and we were able to do it.”

UCLA Coach Bill Zaima, whose team defeated No. 2 Florida in Saturday’s semifinals, said his Bruins didn’t play as well against Stanford.

“I think we were a little flat today,” he said. “We weren’t nervous. But Stanford was more ready to win the big points. They held up under the pressure. They are a dynasty.”

The NCAA individual women’s tournament begins today and concludes Thursday with the singles and doubles finals. Stanford’s Tami Whitlinger is seeded No. 1.

The Cardinal has five in the 64-player singles draw and two entrants in the 32-team doubles draw.