Publication Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Stanford women's tennis makes '05 home debut
Stanford women's tennis makes '05 home debut
(January 26, 2005) by Rick Eymer
Senior Erin Burdette and freshman Whitney Deason each have a tournament title already this year and Burdette can add a doubles title with Alice Barnes.
Pinewood grad Lejla Hodzic has reached the championship of two tournaments this season, losing one to Deason.
Amber Liu, the two-time defending NCAA singles champion, has played once - in an exhibition match against host Hawaii in November.
They all come together on Thursday when the Stanford women's tennis team opens its 2005 dual-match season against visiting UC Davis at the Taube Tennis Center at 1:30 p.m.
Top-ranked Stanford, with three NCAA titles in four years under coach Lele Forood, also hosts Cal Poly on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
The Cardinal are coming off their second undefeated season (at 29-0) in four years and with eight returning players and two highly-regarded freshmen, their collective eyes are once again focused at another national championship.
The yellow brick road starts against the Aggies, with Liu expected to lead another strong singles ladder. Liu (68-14 career) played as an amateur on the pro circuit the past two years.
Burdette won 25 of 30 matches last year, and then captured the Pac-10 Indoor Championship title in Seattle 10 days ago. Barnes joined her to win the doubles title on the same day.
Barnes (39-7 last year) reached the finals of the ITA Northwest Regional in the fall.
Hodzic, a three-time high school All-American, played in the finals of the Freeman Memorial Championships in Las Vegas 10 days ago, and against Deason in the finals of the Thunderbird Invitational in the fall.
Senior Kara Guzman, who missed most of last year with a shoulder injury, also returns along with Joanna Kao (12-4), Jessica Leck (1-8), Theresa Logar (38-4) and Anne Yelsey (14-3).
Stanford lost Emilia Anderson and Lauren Barnikow to graduation. Story Tweedie-Yates transferred to Texas Christian for her senior season.
Five Stanford players are currently ranked among the top 100 in singles, and that doesn't include Liu, who ended 2004 as the No. 1 player. Barnes (12), Burdette (22), Logar (35), Deason (41) and Yelsey (82) are among the ranked players.
Burdette and Barnes are the seventh-ranked doubles, and Hodzic and Deason are ranked 47th.
If all goes well, Stanford could be playing for the Team Indoor Championship in Madison, Wis., the day Hodzic turns 19 on Feb. 6.
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