May 25, 2011
STANFORD, Calif.- The opening day of the 2011 NCAA Men's and Women's Singles Championships featured six Stanford players in action, with four advancing into the second round.
On the men's side, 2010 NCAA Singles champion Bradley Klahn opened his title defense with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Jason Jung of Michigan. Meanwhile, Ryan Thacher dropped a hard-fought 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 decision to Ohio State's Blaz Rola, the tournament's No. 5 overall seed.
Three members of the women's team won their first round match, led by third-seeded Hilary Barte's 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Natalie Pluskota of Tennessee. Barte has now won seven consecutive matches, surrendering only six games or less combined to her opponent in each contest.
Also winning for Stanford were Nicole Gibbs (6-1, 6-1 over Utah's Anastasia Putilina) and Stacey Tan (2-0, ret. against Clemson's Josipa Bek).
Mallory Burdette came up short in a 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 decision to North Carolina's Zoe De Bruycker.
Women's First Round Singles
No. 3 Hilary Barte (3), STANFORD d. No. 40 Natalie Pluskota, TENNESSEE, 6-1, 6-1
No. 13 Zoe De Bruycker, NORTH CAROLINA, d. No. 22 Mallory Burdette, STANFORD, 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3
No. 18 Nicole Gibbs, STANFORD, d. No. 92 Anastasia Putilina, UTAH, 6-1, 6-1
No. 43 Stacey Tan, STANFORD, d. No. 11 Josipa Bek, CLEMSON, 2-0, ret.
Men's First Round Singles
No. 4 Blaz Rola (5), OHIO STATE, d. Ryan Thacher, STANFORD, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
No. 9 Bradley Klahn, STANFORD, d. No. 55 Jason Jung, MICHIGAN, 7-6 (5), 6-2