NCAA WOMEN’S TENNIS : UCLA’s Phebus Picks Up Pace--Then Sets Her Down

Expected to be error-prone, she was not. Suspected of being on the verge of fatigue, she did not show it, accelerating her game when it counted most.

Keri Phebus of UCLA confounded most predictions in an overpowering performance Sunday to win the NCAA women’s singles title over Kelly Pace of Texas, 6-2, 6-3.

In the doubles final, Phebus teamed with Susie Starrett for a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Pace and Cristina Moros.

Texas Coach Jeff Moore called Phebus’ tennis “flawless,” an assessment the Bruin player disputed, as she put together her most consistent and powerful match of an already brilliant season. Phebus, a junior from Newport Beach, hasn’t lost since Feb. 5 and has compiled a singles record of 55-4 this season.

With her victory, in front of a capacity crowd at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center at Pepperdine, Phebus became the first UCLA woman to win an NCAA singles title.

Cheered on by family, teammates and a vocal contingent of Pi Beta Phi sorority sisters, Phebus appeared to let nothing disturb her focus, especially during the match’s many long rallies.

The top-seeded Pace has the kind of precise, thoughtful game that can disturb most players. Hoping to exploit Phebus’ backhand and dominate the net, Pace found her plans thwarted by an emphatic opening game in which her serve was broken by her second-seeded opponent.

Phebus’ break didn’t account for much, since her first service game was also broken. But in the third game, Phebus gained the upper hand with another break. She won the first set in less than 40 minutes and served notice that any lingering fatigue from two weeks of playing singles and doubles had not, at least, affected her will.

That was sorely tested in the second set as Pace took a 3-1 lead and matched Phebus stroke for stroke from the baseline while enjoying success when she reached the net. Phebus’ serve began to wobble, and suddenly it looked as if whatever momentum she had built in the first set had eroded.

“I played a few loose points, and with Kelly you can’t do that,” Phebus said. “I knew I had to pick up the tempo. I had to do it there, or she’d get going.”

Phebus then reeled off 11 points in a row to win the next five games and the title.