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Stanford tennis (continued from page 20)
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SATURDAY, MARCH 26 Money Matters: Taking Charge of Your Finances FRIDAY, MAY 13 One Year Anniversary! Fun Activities at Deborah’s Palm SATURDAY, JULY 23 “Come Together” Deborah’s Palm Fund Raising Event
february highlights NEW FOR THIS MONTH: Indian Cooking Class Journaling Workshops Floral Design Class Poetry Lovers’ Group Free LunchTime MeetUps each Wednesday For further details, visit our website: deborahspalm.org 555 Lytton Avenue, Palo Alto 650 473-0664
debor ah’s palm Steppin' Out for Ecumenical Hunger Program Island Style at TRADER VIC'S 4261 El Camino Real, Palo Alto Saturday, March 5th 6:00 pm-10:30 pm For 35 years, EHP has provided emergency food, clothing, furniture and other safety-net resources to families in need in the local community. Support EHP’s critical programs by joining us for an evening of delicious food, live entertainment, and exciting array of auction items! Sponsored by DLA Piper, Capital Source Bank, Buelow Investment, LLC, New York Community Trust/The Perlman Philanthropy Fund, Greenburg Traurig & Trader Vic’s. Tickets are just $75. Early birds: Purchase your tickets before February 5th and pay only $70! Tickets can be purchased at the door for $80 each per availability. Buy your tickets online: www.ehp.eventbrite.com. For more information please contact Melanie, melanie@ehpcares.org , (650)323-7781 EHP – 2411 Pulgas Avenue, E. Palo Alto, CA 94303 – (650) 323-7781 Visit us on the web: www.ehpcares.org This space donated as a community service by the Palo Alto Weekly Page 26ÊUÊ iLÀÕ>ÀÞÊ££]ÊÓ䣣ÊUÊ*> Ê Ì Ê7ii Þ
first career dual-match in singles, 6-1, 5-7, 10-8, over Utah freshman Garrett LaBarre. “I’ve never played No. 6 singles before,” said Ball, who played even higher during his freshman year at Menlo. “This was the first time.” Ball breezed in the first set but nerves eventually set in. “Yeah,” he said about being nervous, “just because I have a lot to prove on this team.” Ball got a little tight in the second set and fell behind, 4-1. “I was pretty tense and nervous,” he said, “but when you’re losing, there’s no reason to be tight anymore.” Ball battled back and held serve to get it to 5-5 before losing the next two points. With the outcome of the team match already decided, Ball headed into a 10-point super-tiebreaker. He made a nice half-volley to go ahead at 9-6 before winning it two points later. “I played pretty solid in the tiebreaker,” Ball said. “I definitely was nervous. It’s a lot different playing college tennis.” While Ball played in a number of big events during his high school career — he helped Menlo win the National High School All-American Boys Invitational Team Tournament last season in addition to Central Coast Section and NorCal titles as the Knights finished 27-0 — college is different.
“Every match is like a national team coming in,” Ball said. “Plus, you have the reputation at Stanford and you have to live up to it.” This season is perhaps the most important for the Stanford men since 2006, the last time the combined NCAA championships were held at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium. The Cardinal men and women will host the nationals again, beginning May 19. Ball remembers the 2006 event, how crazy it was with all the fans and their cheering. The Georgia men won the NCAA crown last season playing at home in front of their fans. Ball hopes the Cardinal men will have a similar opportunity. They haven’t won an NCAA title since 2000. “We’re definitely a contender this year,” he said. “We want to be a topfour seed, and just see where it goes. All the guys are working hard and are ready.” Ball would love to be playing and contributing at that time of the season, but understands his role. “I’m just hoping to work my way up the ladder here,” he said. “I’d definitely love to play in the stadium sometime in my career.” To do that, Ball will have to be one of the top three singles players or on one of the three doubles teams. He’s certainly getting the competition to improve. “All these guys, bottom to top, are great,” Ball said. “I’m hitting every day with some of the best players in the country. That can only make you better.”
15th Anniversary FOUNDATION FOR A COLLEGE EDUCATION
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Be inspired by keynote speakers Cornel West and Miriam Rivera in conversation on the topic: “Access, Success, Impact: How low-income students of color succeed in college and beyond.”
Garden Court Hotel, Palo Alto Saturday, March 5th 6pm Cocktail Reception 7 pm Dinner and Program Complimentary valet parking
Memorial Auditorium Saturday March 5th, 1:00-2:30pm Students: $5 General Admission: $15
Speakers: Cornel West & Miriam Rivera Honorees: Joanna and L.W. “Laurie” Liston, Bernard A. Newcomb Foundation, Stephen Player Master of Ceremonies: State Senator Joe Simitian
For more information: 650.322.5048 or www.CollegeFoundation.org
Stanford will visit No. 18 Cal on Saturday before hosting Fresno St. on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. Friday’s home match against BYU was postponed to later in the season. Ball likely will be back in a spectator’s role for a while, providing vocal support while waiting his turn to contribute — like senior Alex Clayton did Tuesday. After helping win the doubles point, Clayton played No. 1 singles for only the second time since his All-American sophomore season and cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 victory after sophomore Denis Lin had given the Cardinal a 2-0 lead with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 2 singles. Senior Greg Hirschman officially wrapped things up with a 6-0, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. Sophomore Walker Kehrer won his first career dual match in singles at No. 5, 6-4, 6-1, before Ball walked off the court a winner for the first time while his mother, Angie, and Menlo School assistant coach David Wermuth watched. “It’s a lot of fun,” Ball said of the college life. “I’m definitely enjoying it.” Women’s tennis Top-ranked and defending NCAA champion Stanford was favored to make visiting SMU the latest notch on the team’s record-breaking homecourt winning streak on Thursday. The Cardinal, which took a 4-0 record into the nonconference match, won its 168th straight homecourt dual match last weekend by dominating No. 4 UCLA, 5-2. Senior Hilary Barte won her match at the top of the singles ladder to clinch the nonconference win. “I feel like I’m playing the best I ever have,” the nationally No. 5-ranked Barte said after her 6-4, 6-1 win over McCall Jones. “I’m just having more fun, and I’m physically and mentally stronger.” That certainly didn’t come as good news to the Bruins (4-2), who entered play ranked fourth in the nation and were coming off a 4-3 loss a day earlier at No. 8 California. After winning the doubles point, Stanford made quick work of UCLA. Barte’s win extended The Streak, the longest homecourt winning streak in NCAA Division I history in any sport. The streak spans 12 years, seven national championships and nine national championship match appearances. The Cardinal has not lost at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium since a 5-4 setback against No. 4 California back on Feb. 27, 1999. “We don’t talk about it,” Barte said. “But, it speaks a lot about the program.” Stanford sophomore Mallory Burdette returned to action after missing a pair of matches with shoulder problems. She paired with Barte to help win the doubles point and was first off the court in singles with a 6-0, 6-1 decision playing at No. 4 singles. Freshman Nicole Gibbs won at No. 3 singles in straight sets just ahead of Barte’s clinching victory. Cardinal freshman Kristie Ahn won at the No. 2 singles position. “It’s still early in the season,” Barte said of the importance of the win, “but we can take it as a lot of confidence.” N