NCAA TENNIS : Stanford Routs Florida to Win Women’s Team Championship

Top-seeded Stanford rolled to a 5-1 victory over No. 2 Florida Sunday to win the NCAA women’s team championship for the fifth consecutive season.

Displaying the power that has made it one of the most dominating teams in college sports, the Cardinal (29-0) swept five of six singles matches in straight sets and ran its NCAA record for consecutive dual-match victories to 65.

Cardinal freshman Meredith McGrath trailed, 5-3, in the first set of her No. 2 singles match against Nicole Arendt but rallied to take the next four games and the first set, 7-5. McGrath, the nation’s top-ranked women’s singles player, then won the second set, 6-2.

A capacity crowd at Florida’s Scott Linder Stadium watched as Stanford’s No. 3, 4 and 5 singles players easily defeated the Lady Gators.

Debbie Graham beat Holly Danforth, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 3, and Teri Whitlinger at No. 4 beat Holly Lloyd, 6-1, 6-1.

At No. 5, Lisa Green defeated Jillian Alexander 6-0, 6-2. Heather Willens gave the Cardinal its fifth and deciding team point with her 6-3, 7-5 victory over Amy Alcini at No. 6.

Only Andrea Farley, the nation’s fifth-ranked collegiate player, won for the Lady Gators, who finished the season 32-3.

Farley’s 7-5, 7-5 victory over second-ranked Sandra Birch at No. 1 singles came minutes after Stanford had clinched the title.

The Cardinal swept through the five-day, 20-team tournament by winning 23 of 25 matches in defeating Arizona, Georgia, Texas and Florida, and were only forced into doubles once.