WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - No. 15 Stanford's first opportunity to play an outdoor match at the NCAA Championships didn't last very long, and with no regrets.
Riding its momentum as the hottest team in the country with 18 consecutive wins, No. 15 Stanford needed less than 2.5 hours in a 4-0 dismantling of No. 7 Georgia on Saturday afternoon in the NCAA quarterfinals.
Rain has wreaked havoc all week, with today's match only the third of the tournament to actually be played outdoors at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex. Up to this point, everything else on the men's and women's side – 15 matches total – had either been played indoors at Wake Forest or shipped out to North Carolina's indoor facility in Chapel Hill.
Then again, for the last three months, neither the site or opponent has mattered. Stanford (22-3, 9-0 Pac-12) continues to cruise along at the most important time of the season, turning Georgia into the latest victim over an incredible nine-year stretch in which the Cardinal has won 18 of its last 21 NCAA matches as the lower seed.
When it's time to seriously discuss winning NCAA's as a No. 15 seed. Again. #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/JgAwUlcLJp
— Stanford Women's Tennis (@StanfordWTennis) May 19, 2018
Boasting a 151-19 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament and the winningest program in collegiate history with 19 national championships (18 NCAA, 1 AIAW), Stanford is threatening to duplicate its 2016 NCAA title run, when the Cardinal became the lowest-seeded team to win a national championship at No. 15.
Forgive the Cardinal if this year's run has a "been there, done that" feel. Five years ago, Stanford won it all as a No. 12 seed – at the time the lowest-seeded team to accomplish the feat. In 2010, the Cardinal took home the crown as a No. 8 seed.
Georgia (18-7, 10-3 SEC) actually owned the most recent win in the series, eliminating Stanford in the 2015 NCAA quarterfinals. However, the Bulldogs were overmatched from the start on Saturday.
Stanford secure the doubles point for a 1-0 lead, receiving victories on the lower two courts.
The barrage of singles wins began at the No. 2 spot, as Melissa Lord improved to 13-0 in NCAA team matches with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Kennedy Shaffer.
The Cardinal increased its lead to 3-0 following a 6-4, 6-2 win from Caroline Lampl over Marta Gonzalez at the No. 3 position.
Emily Arbuthnott then provided her team-best eighth clincher of the season and 18th career, defeating Mariana Gould 6-4, 6-2 on court four.
In a groove right now. 4-0 Cardinal.#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/EcZHLzJvnt
— Stanford Women's Tennis (@StanfordWTennis) May 19, 2018
Stanford's semifinal opponent will be No. 3 Duke (27-3, 13-1 ACC), which beat No. 11 Texas Tech 4-1 on Saturday morning to reach the semis for the first time since 2012. Monday's match is scheduled for 9 a.m. PT.
No. 15 Stanford 4, No. 7 Georgia 0
DOUBLES
1) No. 10 Christofi/Coppoc (UGA) led No. 3 Arbuthnott/Gordon (STAN) 5-3, unfinished
2) No. 84 Lampl/Kimberly Yee (STAN) d. No. 26 Gould/Jokic (UGA) 6-3
3) Lord/Shin (STAN) d. Annette Goulak/Shaffer (UGA) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
1) No. 15 Michaela Gordon (STAN) led No. 12 Katarina Jokic (UGA) 6-4, 3-4, unfinished
2) No. 40 Melissa Lord (STAN) d. No. 75 Kennedy Shaffer (UGA) 6-1, 6-2
3) No. 93 Caroline Lampl (STAN) d. No. 90 Marta Gonzalez (UGA) 6-4, 6-2
4) No. 43 Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) d. Mariana Gould (UGA) 6-4, 6-2
5) No. 96 Janice Shin (STAN) vs. Eleni Christofi (UGA) 2-6, 6-1, unfinished
6) No. 103 Morgan Coppoc (UGA) led No. 102 Emma Higuchi (STAN) 7-6 (5), 1-3, unfinished
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 4
Stanford Head Coach Lele Forood:
"We started better in the doubles. We were pretty solid on all three courts and that was a good opening for us. I thought we came out well in the singles and got ahead in a lot of first sets. We were competitive in every match and were able to pull away a little bit at the end to win it."
"I think we are mentally a strong team. We have two players (Caroline Lampl and Melissa Lord) who have been part of winning a national championship. They define to the rest of the team that you need to be there and be ready physically and mentally for four matches to win a national championship."
Stanford Junior Caroline Lampl
"Today we weren't as nervous on the court like we were the other day. We knew if we played our game and we were aggressive, we would be just fine. In the doubles, we were aggressive and that is how we normally are able to win the doubles point. We were confident and had a lot of fun on the court, which is also really important. In singles, everyone was just more energetic today. For me, I was really pumped up and moved my feet a lot better than I did the other day, which really helped me."
"What's really special about our team is we have a lot of depth. Our upper and lower lineup, everyone is so solid. So, even if I'm not doing too well in my match, I can always really on everyone else because they are so solid. That's the really nice thing about being on this team is everyone is super reliable. That's what is great about Stanford women's tennis, is I have so much faith and confidence in my teammates."
Georgia Head Coach Jeff Wallace
"I think we had a good NCAA run here and did better than we have the last two years. You have to take your hat off to Stanford. They played a great match against us and it took a team doing that to knock us out. With how many freshmen and sophomores we have on this team, it is a young group. We have learned a ton this year and really started to apply it in the NCAA Tournament. The future is really bright and if we continue to improve and grow at this rate, it will be even more exciting for us next year."