LOS ANGELES - In one of the most clutch
performances in recent Bruin women's
tennis history, freshman Nina Pantic won
the final 10 games in her match against
Arizona State's Laila Abdala at court
No. 4, propelling No. 11 UCLA to a 4-3
victory over the Sun Devils in the
second round of the NCAA Championships
at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on
Sunday. With the win, UCLA (19-6)
advances to face No. 6 Miami (25-4) in
next week's round of 16 in College
Station, Texas.
"For a freshman to come through in a big
situation like that was just amazing,"
said UCLA head coach Stella Sampras
Webster. "I'm so proud at how she
handled the pressure. This is the best
that I've seen her play so far at UCLA
and for her to do it today was just huge
for us. It just goes to show that
anything can happen at the NCAA
Tournament. The team with the biggest
heart is going to win. I look forward to
playing Miami this friday. We are
excited to move forward."
With the dual match tied at 3-3, Pantic
turned in a remarkable comeback at court
No. 4, as the Bruin freshman rallied
from a first-set loss and a late break
in the second set to come back and win
4-6, 7-5, 6-0. Abdala actually served
for the match up 5-3 but failed to win
another game, as Pantic took 10-straight
games to close out the match. She shook
hands with Abadala before being
congratulated by teammates.
"I looked up at the scoreboard and I
knew that I was going to have to win in
order for us to make it to Texas," said
Pantic. I look at (the scoreboard) a
lot. I admit it. I feel like the more
pressure that is on me and the more
people that come watch my match the
better I play. Even though I was up 5-0,
I wanted to win that last game. I didn't
want to give her anything."
UCLA and Arizona State have played three
times this year and all three contests
were won by the Bruins 4-3. In addition
to Pantic, one of the biggest wins on
the day was turned in by sophomore
Andrea Remynse at court No. 2, as she
was beaten by Nadia Abdala in both prior
contests. Remynse, who accounted for the
Bruins' third point, kept UCLA in it
with a 6-3, 6-3 win over her Sun Devil
nemesis.
UCLA has now reached the round of 16 in
each of the last 10 seasons. The Bruins
and Hurricanes are scheduled to face off
next Friday at 9:00 a.m. (CST).
NCAA Women's Tennis Championships
Second Round @ Los Angeles (Los Angeles
Tennis Center)
May 10, 2009
(11) UCLA def. Arizona State, 4-3
Doubles
1. (3) Remynse/Schnack (UCLA) def. (21)
Hein/McKenna (ASU), 8-2
2. (49) L. Abdala/N. Abdala (ASU) led
(66) Seguso/Stephanie Wetmore (UCLA),
5-4 Susp.
3. Joelson/Pantic (UCLA) def.
Brown/Simmons (ASU), 8-2
UCLA Wins Doubles Point -- Order of
Finish: 3, 1
Singles
1. (10) Kelcy McKenna (ASU) def. (15)
Yasmin Schnack (UCLA), 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. (57) Andrea Remynse (UCLA) def. (46)
Nadia Abdala (ASU), 6-3, 6-3
3. (102) Micaela Hein (ASU) def. (114)
Maya Johansson (UCLA), 6-2, 6-0
4. Nina Pantic (UCLA) def. Laila Abdala
(ASU), 4-6, 7-5, 6-0*
5. Michelle Brycki (ASU) def. Ashley
Joelson (UCLA), 6-3, 6-0
6. Carling Seguso (UCLA) def. Ashlee
Brown (ASU), 6-2, 6-3
* Denotes Clinching Match -- Order of
Finish: 3, 6, 5, 2, 1, 4
