[ DIVISION II SPORTS ]
Now that that's over with, the Brigham Young-Hawaii women's tennis team can turn its focus where it says it has been all along -- on the national title game. BYUH routs Lynn to reach
women’s title match againStar-Bulletin staff
The Seasider women avenged their only loss in 131 matches yesterday, destroying Lynn University 5-0 in the semifinals of the NCAA Div. II National Championships at Kansas City, Mo.
The BYUH men kept pace later in the day, dispatching Lander 6-0 to also reach the championship match, against either Drury or Northwood. The women will face Armstrong Atlantic State for the title.
The BYUH women have not lost more than two points since losing to Lynn at last year's national championships, and they kept their focus enough this time to register another sweep, their 19th in 27 games.
"I told the girls before the match that I didn't have to say much to motivate them, only 'remember May 14, 2001' Two of the girls said they had already got phone calls from their parents reminding them of how they blew it last year."
The BYUH men were not as dominant as the women.
The Seasiders won 6-0 by sweeping the doubles matches, but needed Jan Krejci, Peter Madarassy and Hung Soon Park to close out their matches. They did, rendering the matches in progress meaningless. And it was a good thing too, as in each of them the Seasiders were either clinging to a lead or losing outright.
But Porter will take any kind of win after what his team went through the previous night. BYUH barely survived Hawaii Pacific, winning 5-4 in a tense match.
That his Seasiders came to the court with enough left over was enough for Porter.
"They went through a real emotional match last night against HPU," Porter said. "It was important for them to stay focused."
BYUH Athletics