May 28, 1999
STANFORD, Calif. - For only the second time in the 18-year history of NCAA women's tennis, the singles champion was decided by a third-set tiebreaker.
Unfortunately for Stanford's Marissa Irvin, it was San Diego's Zuzana Lesenarova claiming the top prize, with her 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory at Scott Linder Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
The only other time the winner was crowned after a third-set tiebreaker came in 1983, when USC's Beth Herr defeated Pepperdine's Elisa Fernandez. The match also marked only the seventh time the singles final went to three sets.
Irvin rallied from behind to take a 4-2 lead in the first set. She then scored 12 consecutive points en route to a 6-4 opening set victory.
Lesenarova returned in the second set with a 3-0 lead. Irvin broke her opponent's serve three times that set but could not hold her own, as Lesenarova took the second set 6-3.
In the third frame, rallies for the final set point went back and forth. Both athletes claimed their first points on serve. Irvin recorded her fourth service ace of the match, but did not close it out in the tiebreaker.
"I knew that she let up, I would take it away, and if I let up she would take it away," Irvin said. "But neither one of us let up, and that's why we went into the tie-breaker. It was definitely difficult to gain momentum because both of us were really focused."
Lesenarova halted Irvin's 16 match win streak, including a run of 10 straight during the past nine days of the NCAA Championships. Irvin finishes her first Cardinal campaign with a 49-7 overall record.
Irvin's appearance today marked the first time since 1997 that a freshman competed in the NCAA singles final since Stanford's Lilia Osterloh squared off with Florida's M.C. White in an all-freshmen final two years ago.
"I'm proud of (Marissa's) effort," head coach Frank Brennan said. "What she's accomplished as a freshman is truly amazing. She's a real star and really knows how to perform. She came up a little short today, but not for the lack of effort."
NCAA Individual Championships
Singles Final
May 28, 1999
Zuzana Lesenarova (San Diego) def. Marissa Irvin (Stanford) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3)