The Oklahoma Sooners got off to a great start by securing the doubles point over the highly touted Southern California Trojans. Prior to the National Championship, John Roddick and his OU squad sported a 20-1 record when winning the doubles matchup. However, yesterday played witness to a different story as USC took home the hardware with a 4-2 win marking the 21st time the Trojans have claimed the prize.
Dane Webb helped Oklahoma building a quick 2-0 lead by finishing off Roberto Quiroz with an all out attack on the court. Yet, that would be the final point the Sooners scored. Ranked No. 5 nationally, Guillermo Alcorta fell to his counterpart No. 10 Yannick Hanfmann in straight sets and the comeback was on. Following suit, No. 9 Ray Sarmiento upended No. 7 Axel Alvarez to tie the match at two all. With the pressure on, Oklahoma fought valiantly but came up short in the end.
USC played a tremendous match," OU head coach John Roddick said. "We played well and we had chances. I think we played some of the best doubles that's been played this year. - SoonerSports.com
USC finished the season 32-3 overall by sticking to their guns without panicking. Experience and comfort played a major role in deciding the match as the Trojans are no strangers to title matches. On the other side of things, the Sooners were playing in their first National Championship behind a school best finish. Boasting a 28-4 overall record, OU will be looking to make another run next season as they lose two seniors.