May 21, 2000
ATHENS, Georgia - The top-ranked and top-seeded Stanford men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Championships for the 19th time with a 4-1 win over 11th-ranked Texas Christian (22-5) on Sunday afternoon at the University of Georgia.
The Cardinal (26-1) will meet third-ranked and fourth-seeded Florida (28-3) for the first time since 1969 on Monday at 1:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) in the semifinals. Florida defeated sixth-ranked Duke 4-2 on Sunday. Monday's other semifinals matches 19th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth (26-4) and ninth-ranked Tennessee (23-5) at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Time).
Stanford eliminated the Horned Frogs by winning the doubles point and three of four singles matches. The Cardinal, which has won 22 of its last 23 NCAA Tournament dual matches, had not lost a point in the tournament prior to Sunday, following 4-0 opening round wins over Northwestern, Auburn and Minnesota.
"TCU put the pressure on us," Stanford head coach Dick Gould said. "We know how close the match really was. We did a good job when things started to turn, because we were in serious trouble."
The Cardinal was in trouble after losing the first set in four of the six singles matches. But Stanford came back to win two of those four matches thanks to 11th-ranked K.J. Hippensteel (Roanoke, VA/International Academy) and Scotty Scott (Belvedere, CA/Pinewood HS)After 97th-ranked Petr Koula of TCU defeated Stanford's Ali Ansari (Houston, TX/Second Baptist HS) 6-4, 6-0 at No. 6 singles to tie the dual at 1-1, Scott and Hippensteel both came back from a set down to give Stanford a 3-1 advantage. Scott rebounded to defeated Jimmy Haney 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 at No. 3 and Hippensteel gave a two-match advantage by outlasting 97th-ranked Scott Edding 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5.
"We respected Stanford but we did not fear them," TCU head coach Michael Center said. "We walked on to the court expecting to win today. I have to give (Stanford) credit for making shots in key situations."
The Cardinal clinched a spot in the semifinals when freshman David Martin (Key Biscayne, FL/Boca Raton Prep) defeated Antonio Gordon 6-1, 7-6 (5) at No. 4 singles to wrap up the win.
"Stanford has a great tradition, but each year it's a different set of guys," Martin said. "We have to go out and play each match as hard as we can."
The Cardinal started off the dual by winning the No. 2 and 3 doubles matches to take the first point. Ansari and Scott opened play by routing Gordon and Sebastian Iannariello 8-2 at No. 3, and 34th-ranked Hippensteel and Martin then defeated Esteban Carril and Trace Fielding 8-6 to clinch the point.
#1 Stanford 4, #11 Texas Christian 1
Singles
No. 1 - #7 Alex Kim (S) v. #8 Esteban Carril (TCU), suspended (7-5, 5-5 Stanford)
No. 2 - #5 Geoff Abrams (S) v. Trace Fielding (TCU), suspended (6-3, 3-6, 3-2 TCU)
No. 3 - #11 K.J. Hippensteel (S) d. #96 Scott Eddins, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 - David Martin (S) d. Antonio Gordon, 6-1, 7-6 (5)* (deciding match)
No. 5 - Scotty Scott (S) d. Jimmy Haney, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 6 - #97 Petr Koula (TCU) d. Ali Ansari, 6-4, 6-0
Doubles (Stanford wins doubles point)
No. 1 - #1 Geoff Abrams/Alex Kim (S) v. #55 Scott Eddins/Jimmy Haney, suspended (6-5 TCU)
No. 2 - #34 K.J. Hippensteel/David Martin (S) d. Esteban Carril/Trace Fielding, 8-6* (clinched point)
No. 3 - Ali Ansari/Scotty Scott (S) d. Antonio Gordon/Sebastian Iannariello, 8-2
Records - #11 Texas Christian 22-5, #1 Stanford 26-1.