Match Notes - May 26, 1998
By virtue of reaching the round of 16, the following players attained All-America status in singles play: Mirela Vladulescu (Alabama-Birmingham), Stephanie Nickitas (Florida), Anoushika Van Exel (Tulsa), Julie Scott (Stanford), Vanesa Webb (Duke), Reka Cseresnyes (Arizona State), Barbara Urbanska (Wisconisn), Yana Dorodnova (Kansas State), Anai Blesynski (Stanford), Holly Parkinson (Brigham Young), Martina Nedalkova (Virignia Commonwealth), Amanda Augustus (California), Kristina Kraszewski (Washington), Lioudmila Skavronskaia (Miami), Kylie Hunt (Kansas) and Zuzana Lesenarova (San Diego).
Alabama-Birmingham' Mirela Vladulescu becomes the first player from her school to reach to the quarterfinals of the NCAA championships in singles. In her quarterfinal win over Stephanie Nickitas (Florida), 6-4, 4-6, 7-5, the tournament's top seed won the last five games after falling behind 2-5 in the decisive third set. She also fought off one match point and finally won the seventh game of the third set on her fourth match point. The last number-one seed to win the singles crown was Kylie Hunt of Kansas in 1996.
With her 6-3, 6-1 victory over Reka Csersnyes, Duke's Vanessa Webb moves into the NCAA singles quarterfinals for the third straight year. In her first three matches of the singles tournament, she has yet to drop a set. Webb and her doubles partner, Karen Goldstein, also have not dropped a set in their two doubles matches.
Florida's M.C. White, a singles finalist a year ago as a freshman, lost in the second round to Reka Cseresnyes 6-3, 6-2.
Only three of the top eight seeds are still alive in the singles tournament: Mirela Vladulescu (No. 1), Amanda Augustus (No. 3) and Vanessa Webb (No. 4).
Vanessa Webb (Duke), Ania Bleszynski (Stanford) and Julie Scott (Stanford) are the only three players left in both the singles and doubles draw. All three also played in the team competition.
Nine players had to play three matches (two singles and a doubles match) today: Mirela Vladulescu (Alabama-Birmingham), Stephanie Nickitas (Florida), Julie Scott (Stanford), Vanessa Webb (Duke), Barbara Urbanska (Wisconsin), Ania Blezynski (Stanford), Martina Nedalkova (Viriginia Commonwealth), Amanda Augustus (California) and Kylie Hunt (Kansas).
By virtue of advancing to the quarterfinals of the doubles tournament, the Notre Dame tandem of Jennifer Hall and Tiffany Gates earn All-America honors and become only the second Irish doubles team to advance this far in the NCAAs. In both of their doubles wins during the tournament, Hall and Gates have lost the first two sets of both of their matches and come back set Wendy Crabtree and Lisa Tholen won two matches during the '94 championship.
The Florida doubles team of Dawn Buth and Stephanie Nickitas are now 12-0 in their two-plus seasons of playing together in the NCAA doubles tournament. The two-time defending champions have dropped just three sets playing in three NCAA championships.
