May 28, 2011
Championship Central Website | Live Scoring and Streaming Video
STANFORD, Calif. - Top-seeded and No. 1-ranked California women's tennis junior Jana Juricova knocked off defending national champion No. 25 Chelsey Gullickson of Georgia, 6-3, 6-0, to advanced to the singles semifinal of the 2011 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships at the Taube Family Tennis Center on Sat., May 28.
The third-year Golden Bear exacted revenge on the Bulldog, whom she had not defeated in four previous tries, with precision, and will draw No. 18 Nicole Gibbs of Stanford in the semifinals at noon PT on Sun., May 29. Gibbs took out her third-seeded and No. 3-ranked teammate Hilary Barte, 6-4, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.
As the top-seeded and No. 1-ranked doubles team in the country, Juricova teamed with senior Mari Andersson to take defeat Northwestern's 12th-ranked team of Nida Hamilton and Linda Abu Mushrefova in the doubles quarterfinal. The Cal duo will face the winner between the fourth-seeded and third-ranked Stanford team of Barte and Mallory Burdette, and Georgia's ninth-ranked tandem of Gullickson and Kate Fuller.
No. 23-ranked Andersson had her singles run at the championships stopped by 17th-ranked Lauren Embree of Florida, as the Gator edged the Cal senior, 6-3, 7-6, with a 7-5 score in the second-set tiebreaker. Andersson completes her three-year singles career with an 89-28 record.
With a one-break lead in her first set, Juricova held serve to produce a 4-2 advantage in the before she broke Gullickson to create a two-break gash, 5-2. The Bulldog turned the tables on Juricova in the next game, to earn a love-40 lead before she finished off the win to make the score, 5-3. Juricova closed out the first set as she surgically took apart Gullickson's serve for the final break, and a 6-3 win.
Juricova served to open the second set, and made short work of her first two games as she broke Gullickson to take a 2-0 lead. Her own serve netted her a 3-0 lead, but Juricova's patience put her up, 4-0, when she broke Gullickson in the fourth game without giving up a point. Gullickson replied to earn break-point, but Juricova fought it off and forced deuce before she raked in her fifth game for a 5-0 lead. Juricova put the clamps on Gullickson's serve in the final game as she built a love-40 lead, and crushed a cross-court forehand winner to close out the 6-3, 6-0 win.
Andersson needed a break to tie the first set at three, but Embree took control to hold serve, and go up, 4-2. Embree turned around to break Andersson's serve and claim a 5-2 lead with the chance to serve for the first set, but Andersson responded to break back and cut the Florida lead to 5-3. Embree fell behind against Andersson's serve, but was able to hold on and turn deuce into a victory to claim the first set, 6-3.
Embree opened the second set with the serve, and grabbed the first two games, but Andersson maintained her poise to break the Florida serve, and get on the board, 2-1. Embree held her next two serves, and broke Andersson in between to take a 5-2 lead, but Andersson grinded out the next three games, one point at a time to come up with a five-all tie. Embree went ahead, first, but Andersson got the tiebreaker she wanted when an Embree return went wide. The two players traded points, at first, but Embree created some separation with a 4-2 lead. Andersson slammed an overhand shot past Embree to tie the score, again, at four-all, but Embree took three of the last four points to earn a 7-5 win in the tiebreaker.
In their doubles match Andersson and Juricova allowed Hamilton to hold serve and give Wildcats a 1-0 lead, but Juricova returned the favor to blank Northwestern for a one-all tie. The Bears broke Mushrefova's serve to go ahead, 2-1, and pulled out to a 3-1 lead when Juricova smashed a forehand off a Wildcat lob for the win. With Hamilton back to serve, Northwestern held to get back into the set, down 3-2. Cal responded to take a 4-2 lead on a winner by Andersson, but Mushrefova couldn't hold serve as the Cats went down, 5-2. Juricova poached a ball to score the winning point in the ninth game and give Cal a 6-2 win in the first set.
Northwestern claimed the first game of the second set, again, on Hamilton's serve, but the Bears responded to tie the set, at one-all. Much like the duo did in the first set, Andersson and Juricova broke Mushrefova to go up, 2-1, and went in front, 3-1, with Andersson serving. This time, the Bears broke Hamilton's serve for the first time to go up by two breaks, 4-1. Cal seized a 5-1 lead when Mushrefova's lob went long, and earned match-point as Juricova dropped a volley into the empty left corner of the Wildcat court. Andersson's volley at the net shut the match down and gave the Bears a 6-2, 6-1 victory.
For complete schedules, results, scores, draws, and live streaming video, please visit www.GoStanford.com.
2011 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships
Taube Family Tennis Center | Stanford, Calif.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Singles Quarterfinal | May 28
[1] No. 1 Jana Juricova (CAL) def. No. 25 Chelsey Gullickson (UGA) 6-3, 6-0
No. 17 Lauren Embree (FLA) def. No. 23 Mari Andersson (CAL) 6-3, 7-6(5)
Doubles Quarterfinal | May 28
[1] No. 1 Andersson/Juricova (CAL) def. No. 12 Hamilton/Mushrefova (NWU) 6-2, 6-1
Singles Semifinal | May 29
[1] No. 1 Jana Juricova (CAL) vs. No. 18 Nicole Gibbs (STAN) - Noon PT
Doubles Semifinal | May 29
[1] No. 1 Andersson/Juricova (CAL) vs. [4] No. 3 Barte/Burdette (STAN)/No. 9 Fuller/Gullickson (UGA) - TBA
Post-match Quotes
Head coach Amanda Augustus
On Mari Andersson's come-from-behind bid to force a third set in her singles match
"I think Mari had a really great day, today. She was just a couple of points away from getting a third set, but I think she did a great job. She fought really hard and missed a few shots by just the tiniest of margins. I think, overall, it's unfortunate [that she lost], but I think she's really pleased to have advanced as far as she did."
On Jana Juricova's victory over Chelsey Gullickson
"That was finally the breakthrough against this girl that we were looking for. We've played her a few times and tried a few different tactics we could think of against her, but I think we finally found the game plan that worked today. Jana did a great job of staying with it and executing it from the start of the match. I think even though the score was the way it looked, it was a lot closer of a match than it appeared."
