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A bit more:
Stanford won the doubles point by taking #1 8-2, losing #3 8-2, and Davidson/Tsay taking #2 8-5 (over the #7 ranked doubles combo in the country).
Hardebeck continued to struggle at #2; after losing the first set 6-4, she fell behind 5-0 in set 2. However, she managed to hang on for a couple of games before succumbing 6-2. That holding action allowed Davidson at #4 to complete a 6-4, 6-1 victory and keep Stanford in the lead. But Doyle at #6 singles, after winning set one, fell behind quickly in set 2. Tsay lost a first set tiebreaker at #5, while Zhao was in a first set breaker, emerging victorious 7-1. And Kirstie Ahn, at #1, gave up a 5-3 first set lead to drop it 7-5.Â
Tsay, after dropping the first set tiebreak, couldn't rally in the second, dropping #5 singles, 7-6 (5), 6-3. But Doyle seemed a bit upset about dropping the second set 3-6; she absolutely destroyed her opponent at love in the third set. 3-2 Stanford.
It was coming down to two tight games - Zhao at #3 singles and Ahn at #1. While Ahn got ahead quickly in set 2, Zhao fell behind early 1-3. Both matches were back and forth affairs, and it seemed as if whenever Ahn got going, Zhao slipped back, and vice versa. Zhao rallied from her deficit to lead 5-4, but then gave up 2 straight games and needed to rally to force a tiebreak. Ahn led 3-1, then lost two games to tie 3-3.
The tiebreak at #3 was interesting; Zhao appeared to be the more aggressive, but her opponent counterpunched well and tied it 2-2. Zhao ripped off 3 of the next 4 points, including a beautiful half-volley winner to take a 5-3 lead, then a deadly drop shot to go up 6-3. She closed out the match with a hammered cross-court winner, and Stanford was on to the semis, to face #7 North Carolina, who upset #2 Alabama on the other side of the bracket.
VG