Fresno State Athletics
(3) Jelena Pandzic vs. (4) Amber Liu -- Match Quotes
5/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 29, 2004
Liu defends NCAA title
Sophomore Amber Liu successfully defended her NCAA singles title, becoming the fourth player to win back-to-back titles and the fifth two-time NCAA singles champion. A year ago, Liu defeated Vilmarie Castellvi of Tennessee, 7-6 (5), 6-2. Other players to win consecutive singles titles were Stanford's Patty Fendick in 1986 and 1987, Florida's Lisa Raymond in 1992 and 1993 and Stanford's Laura Granville in 2000 and 2001. Stanford's Sandra Birch won singles titles in both 1989 and 1991.
Another Cardinal singles champion
Stanford captured its NCAA-leading 12th NCAA singles title with Liu's victory. Other Cardinal champions include Alycia Moulton in 1982, Linda Gates in 1985, Patty Fendick in 1986 and 1987, Sandra Birch in 1989 and 1991, Debbie Graham in 1990, Lilia Osterloh in 1997, Laura Granville in 2000 and 2001 and Liu in 2003 and 2004.
Another All-California Final
The matchup between Stanford's Amber Liu and Fresno State's Jelena Pandzic represents the sixth NCAA singles finals with two players from California schools. Included in that tally are a pair of all-Stanford finals in both 2000 and 2001. The other all-Cali finals were contested in 1982, 1991 and 1999.
She's goin' the distance
For just the third time in the last 17 years, the NCAA singles final extended to three sets. Prior to this year, the last three-set final was when Zuzana Lesanarova of the University of San Diego defeated Marissa Irvin of Stanford, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3). Prior to that, the only other three-setter since 1988 was a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 win by Jill Craybas of Florida over Kylie Hunt of Kansas in 1996. Interestingly, five of the first six NCAA singles championships contested between 1982-87 were three-set affairs.
Liu vs. Pandzic, Round 2
Amber Liu avenged one of only four losses she suffered during the 2003-04 campaign. Liu and Jelena Pandzic met earlier this season during a dual-match on March 3 in Palo Alto. Pandzic rolled to a 6-2, 6-2 victory that day, the Bulldogs' lone point in a 6-1 defeat.
Liu, Pandzic lose first sets of NCAA singles competition
Neither Amber Liu nor Jelena Pandzic had lost a set prior to Saturday's NCAA singles final. Liu lost a combined 36 games in five matches in the individual singles draw. Pandzic lost just 32 games in her quartet of singles matches. Liu finishes the 2003-04 season with an overall singles record of 25-4, while Pandzic completes the year at 29-
