ATHENS, Ga. — Two members of the women’s tennis team capitalized on missed opportunities from past NCAA tournament exits in the Bruins’ 4-3 title game victory over the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, while one player became a champion on her last possible chance.
The Florida Gators destroyed the UCLA women’s tennis team 4-0 for the 2012 national championship. The silver linings in that loss came in the form of an undecided two-set match, in which one game separated then-freshman Robin Anderson, ranked No. 4 in the country, from coming within a game of upending the nation’s top player, Florida then-junior Allie Will, in two sets.
A year after losing in consecutive sets and getting eliminated by Texas A&M; in the NCAA semifinals, Anderson would not go unrewarded for a big showing against the nation’s best. On Tuesday, she surrendered just four games in two sets to UNC’s Jamie Loeb, a freshman who came into the tournament as the No. 1 female player in the NCAA.
Having taken zero sets over Loeb in two previous meetings during the 2013-2014 season, Anderson entered a showdown between the country’s top-two players without high expectations. She remained on edge through the beginning of the match.
“I was actually really nervous. I tried really hard not to show it,” Anderson said, pointing to the first set as a time when she saw a Loeb comeback forming.
Loeb never would gain momentum, though. Anderson’s game did not reflect the unease in her mind.
“I tried to stay really aggressive and, regardless of the outcome, just know that I gave it my all,” Anderson said.
She exited the courts as the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player by the end of Tuesday afternoon.
Last year, cramps interfered with then-sophomore Chanelle Van Nguyen’s chance at winning a semifinal third set against Texas A&M; that she at one point led 4-2, despite losing the set’s first two games. This year, Van Nguyen jumped out to 3-0 lead and held on in what became a 6-3 third set victory that provided UCLA’s third point of the match.
Memorable playoff disappointments during her time at UCLA, which include losing in straight sets against Florida in 2012, fueled Van Nguyen throughout the season.
“Getting to the (semifinals) last year and finals the year before, I wanted this so bad,” Van Nguyen said. “This moment, we’ve been using for motivation the whole year.”
Coach Stella Sampras Webster found herself particularly happy for Courtney Dolehide, the lone UCLA senior to play in the 2014 title game. The coach lauded the injured Dolehide for her leadership during the second half of the season.
Dolehide teamed up with Nguyen to nearly overcome a 1-5 doubles deficit in what became an unfinished 6-7 match. A co-captain, Dolehide was among the first of the Bruins to put her hands on the NCAA championship trophy.
Dolehide expressed after the title game that she does not plan on continuing her tennis career. But she couldn’t be happier with how she ended her journey.
“I think this is the best last match ever,” Dolehide said.