As one of the top-ranked juniors in the world, Kyle McPhillips has played at Wimbledon and in U.S. Opens. But nothing, the UCLA sophomore said, compares with the experience she had Tuesday evening on Court 3 at UGA’s Henry Feild Stadium.
McPhillips outlasted North Carolina’s Caroline Price, fighting off five break points and failing on three championship points before finally recording the clinching, third-set win that would give UCLA the women’s national championship. McPhillips’ 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win came with all the other singles matches completed and gave the Bruins a 4-3 victory.
“This is the single-best accomplishment I’ve ever had in my life,” said McPhillips, who turned 20 last month. “Nothing compares to this day right here. Winning individually is so different than winning for your team and your coaches and your school. There’s so much effort and people and hard work that has gone into this moment right here. This is the highlight of my tennis career.”
It seemed like a pretty big deal to her teammates as well. Seconds after Price’s charging, overhead volley was called long, McPhillips found herself buried underneath a pile of Bruins. The moment literally took her breath away. The weight of the horde coupled with a prolonged exhale from yelling caused her to nearly pass out from lack of oxygen. When she finally emerged she wobbled toward the net to shake the hands of her grieving but patient opponent.
“It was exciting, but I got dizzy from cheering and yelling,” McPhillips said. “The moment was just overwhelming.”
The feeling was decidedly different for Price. The junior from Duluth, who is the daughter of former Georgia Tech and NBA star Mark Price, was so distraught she declined to do interviews after the match.
“She’s disappointed. She feels like she let the team down, which she didn’t,” North Carolina coach Brian Kalbas said. “She gave everything she had, and she just happened to be the last match. It was unfortunate for her. She’s an emotional person. She shows her emotion on the court, and she wears her emotions on her sleeve.”
There was only slightly less drama in the men’s title match. No. 1-seed Southern Cal won its fifth championship in the past six seasons with a 4-2 victory over No. 2 Oklahoma. It was the Trojans’ 21st men’s tennis championship and the 100th NCAA title of any kind for the Trojans.
Oklahoma won the doubles point but Yannick Hanfmann and Ray Sarmiento quickly won their singles matches in straight sets and Eric Johnson won No. 5 singles for a 3-2 USC lead. The Trojans (32-3) clinched the match when Max de Vroome held serve with a backhand volley to beat Andrew Harris in No. 4 singles.
Oklahoma’s season ends at 27-5 with its best finish ever in the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners are guided by head coach John Roddick — brother of Andy Roddick — and his associate head coach Bo Hodge. Both men played at Georgia.
UCLA’s women’s championship was its 111th NCAA title in all sports — more than any school in the country — but only the second overall by women’s tennis and first since 2008. The fifth-ranked Bruins (27-2) finished runner-up three other times when the championships were held at Dan Magill Tennis Complex.
“It was nice to finally win one here,” said UCLA coach Stella Sampras Webster, who is the sister of former world No. 1 Pete Sampras. “Unbelievable. It didn’t really hit me to the end.”
As important as McPhillips’ win was, it was no bigger than the one notched by Robin Anderson at No. 1 singles. Ranked No. 2 in the nation, she twice lost in straight sets to No. 1-ranked Jamie Loeb of North Carolina in fall majors. Yet she came out and quickly dispatched Loeb 6-2, 6-2.
“I went into the match thinking I really had nothing to lose,” Anderson said. “So I decided to just go out there and play my game. I tried to stay really aggressive.”
UCLA also secured the all-important doubles point for the 29th consecutive time this season.
The NCAA Championships will continue with the beginning of the singles competition Wednesday. Double get under way Thursday.
