April 12, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. - Stanford University posted a come-from-behind 4-3 road victory over Arizona State University in Pacific-10 Conference Men's Tennis action on Friday afternoon at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
The sixth-ranked Cardinal improved to 18-2 overall and 4-0 in the Pacific-10 Conference, while the 38th-ranked Sun Devils dropped to 9-9 and 1-4. Stanford concludes this five-match road swing on Saturday at No. 59 Arizona (8-10, 1-4), while Arizona State hosts No. 17 California (15-5, 3-1). Both matches will begin at noon.
Arizona State took an early 1-0 lead by capturing two of the three doubles matches. The Cardinal's doubles win came at No. 1, where top-ranked Scott Lipsky (Merrick, NY) and David Martin (Tulsa, OK) outlasted 21st-ranked Mitchell Bowen and Matt Klinger 9-8 (3).
The Cardinal then won four of the six singles matches to come from behind and remain tied for the Pac-10 lead with third-ranked UCLA (17-3, 4-0). Senior K.J. Hippensteel (Roanoke, VA), Martin and freshman Sam Warburg (Sacramento, CA) all recorded straight set victories for the Cardinal, while Lipsky prevailed in three sets.
The Cardinal trailed 3-2 until Lipsky outlasted Clinton Letcher 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 at No. 3 singles. The Stanford junior has won 13 of his last 14 matches, and is now 27-8 on the season.
Stanford then clinched the match thanks to Warburg's effort at No. 5 singles. The freshman won the first set 6-2, and then outlasted Olivier Charroin 13-11 in a second set tiebreaker to improve to 22-9 overall and 14-4 in duals.
#6 Stanford 4, #38 Arizona State 3
Doubles (Arizona State wins point)
No. 1 - #1 Scott Lipsky/David Martin (S) d. #21 Mitchell Bowen/Matt Klinger, 9-8 (3)
No. 2 - Olivier Charroin/Chris Stewart (ASU) d. K.J. Hippensteel/Joe Kao, 8-5
No. 3 - Clinton Letcher/Pim Van Mele (ASU) d. Phil Sheng/Sam Warburg, 8-3
Singles
No. 1 - #4 K.J. Hippensteel (S) d. #31 Matt Klinger, 7-5, 6-4
No. 2 - #46 (tie) David Martin (S) d. Pim Van Mele, 6-2, 6-0
No. 3 - #76 Scott Lipsky (S) d. Clinton Letcher, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5
No. 4 - #119 Mirza Duranovic (ASU) d. Phil Sheng, 6-4, 7-6 (4)
No. 5 - Sam Warburg (S) d. Olivier Charroin, 6-2, 7-6 (11)
No. 6 - Chris Stewart (ASU) d. Joe Kao, 6-3, 6-1
Records - #6 Stanford 18-2 overall (4-0 Pacific-10 Conference), #38 Arizona State 9-9 (1-4).
Player and team rankings are courtesy of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and Omni Hotels.