Rain Delay: Doubles point in first men's and women's matches all that has been decided in NCAA play on Sunday

©Colette Lewis 2006
Palo Alto--

With rain in the area this morning, the 9 a.m. women's semifinal between No. 7 Miami and No. 3 USC was delayed for an hour; when play resumed, USC took the doubles point with wins at 2 & 3. Shortly after noon, a heavy shower stopped play with the Hurricanes up a set in five of the six singles matches.

The men's quarterfinal match between Ohio State and Texas was scheduled for 10 a.m. and after a delay of less than a half hour the doubles matches took the court. The No. 2 Buckeye team of Bryan Koniecko and Drew Eberly grabbed the first point, and when Scott Green and Ross Wilson, Ohio State's and the country's No. 1 team, got the first break in the tenth game against Callum Beale and Miguel Reyes Varela, the doubles point seemed a foregone conclusion.

But when Travis Helgeson and Luis Ibanez of Texas evened the match by winning at No. 3, all eyes turned to court one. Green served for the match at 7-5, but despite saving a break point with a second serve ace that sent the rest of the Buckeye team on the sidelines into a frenzy of cheering, it was the last big point he and Wilson won. They dropped the final five games of the match and the third seeded Longhorns had secured the precious doubles point.

In the ensuing singles, Ohio State won the first set in three matches, while Texas had one first set in their favor.