Feb. 9, 2002
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Second-ranked Stanford University (4-0) advanced to the final of the 16-school National Team Indoor Championships with a 4-2 victory over 12th-ranked USC (5-1) on Saturday afternoon at the Louisville Tennis Club.
In the final, Stanford will face sixth-ranked Illinois (4-0) on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. (PT). The Fighting Illini reached the final with a 4-1 upset over top-ranked Georgia (3-1).
The Cardinal is bidding for its record 12th National Team Indoor Championship, and also looking to keep the state of California's domination alive in this event. The only four teams to have won this event since 1987 are California, Stanford, UCLA and USC.
The Trojans, who will face Stanford twice later in the regular season, made the Cardinal work for the victory.
USC opened the match by capturing the doubles point. The Trojans locked up the point at No. 1 doubles as Ryan Moore and Nick Rainey outlasted third-ranked Scott Lipsky (Merrick, NY/Bellmore-Kennedy HS) and David Martin (Tulsa, OK/Boca Raton Prep) 9-8 (2).
The Cardinal, however, battled back to win four of singles matches, including two crucial three-set victories that put it over the top.
Top-ranked Stanford senior K.J. Hippensteel (Roanoke, VA/International Academy) improved to 9-0 on the season by coming back to defeat No. 22 Andrew Park 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 1 spot. The Cardinal also received a three-set victory at No. 3 as 49th-ranked Martin held off Prakash Amritraj 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
The Cardinal received its other two points on straight set singles victories by 31st-ranked Lipsky at No. 2 and 90th-ranked Sam Warburg (Sacramento, CA/Jesuit HS) at No. 6.
#2 Stanford 4, #12 USC 2
Doubles
(USC wins point)
No. 1 - Ryan Moore/Nick Rainey (USC) d. #3 Scott Lipsky/David Martin, 9-8 (2)
No. 2 - #7 Ryan Haviland/K.J. Hippensteel (S) d. #30 Daniel Langre/Damien Spizzo, 8-3
No. 3 - #60 (tie) Prakash Amritraj/Andrew Park (USC) d. Phil Sheng/Sam Warburg, 8-5
Singles
No. 1 - #1 K.J. Hippensteel (S) d. #22 Andrew Park, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3
No. 2 - #31 Scott Lipsky (S) d. Ryan Moore, 6-1, 6-2
No. 3 - #49 David Martin (S) d. Prakash Amritraj, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
No. 4 - Nick Rainey (USC) d. #43 Ryan Haviland, 6-1, 6-4
No. 5 - Phil Sheng (S) vs. Daniel Langre (USC), DNF
No. 6 - #90 Sam Warburg (S) d. Damien Spizzo, 6-3, 6-3
Records - #12 USC 5-1, #2 Stanford 4-0.
Other Saturday Scores:
Semifinals -
Illinois 4, Georgia 1
Consolation Bracket -
Pepperdine 4, Indiana State 1
California 4, Brown 2
Mississippi 4, Notre Dame 3
UCLA 4, Duke 1
Kentucky 4, Tennessee 2
San Diego State 4, SMU 3