SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
And that's it! Awesome first performance. Dream/nightmare semi of Duke-UNC still on the menu.
2018 Women's NCAA Tournament
- Thread starter ClarkC
- Start date
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Duke wins. Cats came close but Duke was just too deep
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Now, it is time for the Card to take over and upset this Tarheels.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Enjoy your last few hours with a team still in the tourney.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
They beat the Tarheels last year. and they are afraid of the Card
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Go Card. Here we come.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
LOL,, what's up with Under handed 2nd serves by NC player at #2 doubles court ???????
jaggy
Talk Tennis Guru
It's a nerve/anxiety thing, she has been doing this since at least last season.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Daavetila is a tennis player who defies explanation. She has won nine straight matches, including the decisive match in UNC's ACC championship win over Duke, and yet she cannot serve.
Also, she and Sanford NEVER win their doubles set, so that would be a huge bonus. UNC in general is bad at dubs, Aney and Graham are supposed to be one of the best pairs in the country but are actually extremely overrated. Jones and Akkerman are the best team.
Also, she and Sanford NEVER win their doubles set, so that would be a huge bonus. UNC in general is bad at dubs, Aney and Graham are supposed to be one of the best pairs in the country but are actually extremely overrated. Jones and Akkerman are the best team.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Sanford Daav win, which is a stunner, but Jones/Akkerman blow a 5-3 lead. 5-all and 4-all. Way too close for comfort.
jhick
Hall of Fame
Jessie has been ranked in the top 10 in doubles for two years straight. She is one of the very few girls that actually serves and volleys and is very comfortable at the net and active (poaches often). I used to hit against her when she was in high school. I'm not sure why you think they are overrated.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Because I watch them all the time and they lose almost every big match, including all three in the ACC tournament. I agree they're both excellent players, but they don't deserve to be ranked where they are. Not even close.
Edit: Lost this one too.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Wow, unbelievable final point from Jones and Akkerman. That's a huge win for UNC in this match. Three of six singles makes this a lot easier.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Time to comeback. Take 4 singles points, done it all season long, no different now.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
I can smell the panic.
jhick
Hall of Fame
They are slumping as of late, I'll give you that. 18-6 record overall however.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
No panic. Cardinal has always comeback stronger if they drop the doubles point. They will pick up 2 levels
she's really taken a step back in singles this year. she used to be almost automatic at #3. her forehand grip is too western and if you hit deep to that side then you'll get a lot of errors. great athlete but her game has some limitations, especially off the return in doubles where she almost always lobs and comes in.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Agreed, her singles trajectory is not great, and she's also been bumped down by Sanford arriving and the rapid improvement of Makenna Jones and Alexa Graham. Depending on how their recruiting class looks next year, I can see her having to fight hard to stay in the singles lineup next season.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Cmon Card. Let's do this.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
LOL,, Court #3, Underhand 2nd serves,,,,,Coming at ya............ She is actually getting away with it for now ............... Are you sure she isn't injured ?? You 4.5 ,, 5.0 guys try this and see if it works ? They say Top D1 college girls are roughly equal to 4.5 to 5.0 guys....
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Strong early start for Stanford, especially on court 1 and 2. I don't see Aney winning her match at 5, so UNC is going to need one of the points on the top two courts. Early indications are that this match is going to be really close and tense throughout.
jhick
Hall of Fame
Underhand serve is a limitation, however, it can work okay for a player who doesn't normally rely on their serve. Case in point, there is a 4.5 player I know well in his 20's who has shoulder problems preventing him from serving overhand. In doubles it isn't that effective, but in singles he is quick and has good passing shots, so it works for him. He's very effective against baseliners who aren't as comfortable at net. I would say he's just as tough if not tougher serving underhand. I've heard recently he's now changed to serving left handed most of the time.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Cmon Higuchi. So good.. 6-1 first set win at #6
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Oh boy. Looks like the path to victory for UNC is extremely small—Makenna has to win this breaker, Daavetila has to win hers, and hardest of all, Chloe needs to win this second set and the third.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Devastating lost game at UNC no. 6 for Oullete-Pizer, could have gone up 5-2, now it's 4-3 and deadly close. Make that 4-4, Stanford two games away from clinching the match.
Jones had a must-win in the first set breaker on court one and seems like she's got it. Good to stave off the immediate danger zone, but court 6 is where it's at now.
Jones had a must-win in the first set breaker on court one and seems like she's got it. Good to stave off the immediate danger zone, but court 6 is where it's at now.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Higuchi is the perfect court 6 pusher, especially against players who refuse to come to net.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
There goes court 6, and it's just a matter of time now. Can't believe it's happening two years in a row. Congrats, Stanford. Go Duke.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
EMMA Higuchi So Good.... SO Good. she just beat a girl twice her size in straight sets...................... GO CARD......................
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
GO Stanford. just beat #2 seed in the tournament. Is there any team that can challenge the Card ?
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
My early diagnosis on UNC this year—very solid team, had championship potential, but Jessie Aney lost her mojo completely and in tough matches couldn't get it done, and despite some flashes of brilliance and a big win in the ACC title game, Alle Sanford didn't live up to the hype in year one and was particularly bad under pressure. Good as you may be in other areas, you can't start a big match at an 0-2 deficit and hope to win many. They pulled it off against Duke in the ACC championship, barely, but any slip-ups and it's all over. And you're never going to have 0 slip-ups over the course of four matches in the NCAAT. It makes the doubles point imperative, but even then you're in a tight spot. Today, Graham and Oullette-Pizer lost the big points, especially in the second set, and rock-solid play from Daav and Jones, which they've displayed all year, didn't matter.
A shame. But everyone's coming back, and hopefully things will be more steady next year.
A shame. But everyone's coming back, and hopefully things will be more steady next year.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Tournament is just beginning. Still long ways to go til the championship final.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Not sure what happened. but the Singles players just didn't show up for NC. Ironically, underhanded 2nd serve player was performing her best. Bit surprising cause NC had several players that were ranked in top 30
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Also full credit to Stanford. As much as it pains me to say this to Nostra, if you can beat UNC, that means you can beat Duke in the semis, and a trip to the finals is right there for you.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Daav (the under-hander) is actually extremely good. As you might imagine, Oulette-Pizer wins most of her matches at no. 6, but Higuchi is just a really amazing player on that line. The big surprise is Graham, who has had a really terrific season. Bad play, but probably that's one of the best opponents she's faced on no. 4 all year. In fact it looks like maybe Stanford's 4 is better than their 3.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
2 teams that could give the Card issues. Pepperdine if they make it thru, they could be tough for Stanford. Not sure why but they have been giving the Cardinal trouble in dual matches. Also if they face off with Vande in the final, that also could be very tough final, if both teams are healthy by that time.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
I have to admit, Higuchi gained a crucial advantage when this match went Indoors. Her lack of power wasn't as much of handicap indoors where conditions are very fast.
SouthernCourts
Semi-Pro
Duke will not be easy. It'll be a close match, and unlike UNC their players seem to be peaking at the right time.
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
Exactly what I was thinking. Can LeLe give some advice to our good coach paul Goldstein ? How to have your players playing their BEST tennis when NCAA tournament comes around in May.
nomalt
Rookie
Ouch. Come on - you know that it's not that they are playing their best this May (Which they may or may not), but it's really the return of Lord. Spots 3-6 gained some great experience this season playing up in Lord's absence. If you think they are good this year, wait til next year since there aren't any seniors this year in the starting lineup.
Tar Heel Tennis
Professional
for anyone that was at the FSU-Tulsa match in Chapel Hill - what exactly happened on match point? For those of you who didn't see it, FSU won without putting the ball in play.
Without seeing it, assume there was a Code Violation for no point to have been played.
