TENNIS NCAA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIPS : UC Davis Women Are Singles-Minded in Winning Title

UC Davis defeated Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 5-1, Sunday at the Industry Hills Sheraton to earn its second NCAA Division II women’s tennis championship.

“We have had a No. 1 ranking since October, so we thought there was no reason to give it up. So I said to them, ‘If you can take it in singles . . . ‘ “ Davis Coach Caryn Maroni said.

Her shirt finished her sentence: “Aggies: Just Do It.”

Davis (23-3) won the first four singles matches in about an hour. That left two singles matches to decide if the match would have to go to doubles.

Both those singles matches went to third sets.

San Luis Obispo’s Michelle Berkowitz defeated Arbuckle, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in the No. 5 singles.

That brought the players and spectators to the No. 6 match.

UC Davis’ Kim Borah--the only senior playing for either team--faced the Mustangs’ Beth Reed.

“When did I know the match came down to me? When I heard Karen (Arbuckle) cheering,” Borah said. “I kept getting chills, because I knew we were close to a national championship.”

The chills came despite it being 99 degrees in Industry Hills. Maroni estimates it was 10 degrees higher on the court.

Borah won, 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), and found herself mobbed by her teammates.

Davis also won the title in 1990.

San Luis Obispo, which played four freshman and two juniors, finished with a 22-9 record.

Cal Poly Pomona (14-8) defeated Abilene Christian (14-8) in the third-place match, 5-2.

Davis’ victory was particularly sweet for Borah, who had walked away from the game last year.

“It wasn’t anything about the coach,” she said. “I was just trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life. I wasn’t even sure I was going to play in January. Now I’m glad I did.”

The victory also erased a bitter taste for Borah. In 1991, Davis was in the title match against Cal Poly Pomona and Borah lost in what was the decisive doubles match.

“I didn’t want that feeling again,” Borah said. “I kept think ing this is my last collegiate match.”