HOUSTON- No. 1 Stanford completed a sweep of its season-opening road trip, taking down No. 22 Rice 5-2 on Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinal (4-0), which defeated No. 17 Texas 6-1 yesterday, captured the doubles point and then used its singles depth to secure the win.
Stanford posted wins at the Nos. 1 and 2 spots in doubles to take a 1-0 lead.
Freshmen Caroline Doyle and Taylor Davidson locked up straight-set victories on courts four and six, respectively, extending Stanford’s lead to 3-0.
Dominique Harmath defeated Krista Hardebeck 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5) at the No. 2 position, accounting for Rice’s first point.
Carol Zhao’s 7-6, 6-1 win at the No. 3 spot clinched the match.
Rice (2-2) received its only other point from Katherine Isip, who outlasted Ellen Tsay in a three-setter at No. 5.
Kristie Ahn remained undefeated with a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 1-0 (3) triumph at the top spot.
Stanford returns home to face Saint Mary’s on Saturday, Feb. 8.
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No. 1 Stanford 5, No. 22 Rice 2
DOUBLES
1) No. 15 Ahn/Zhao (STAN) d. Beazant/Harmath (RICE) 6-3
2) No. 16 Davidson/Tsay (STAN) d. Ip/Zimmermann (RICE) 6-1
3) Ho/Zinko (RICE) led Doyle/Hardebeck (STAN) 5-1, unfinished
Order of Finish: 1, 2
SINGLES
1) No. 6 Kristie Ahn (STAN) d. Natalie Beazant (RICE) 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 1-0 (10-3)
2) Dominique Harmath (RICE) d. Krista Hardebeck (RICE) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)
3) No. 40 Carol Zhao (STAN) d. Liat Zimmermann (RICE) 7-6, 6-1
4) No. 34 Caroline Doyle (STAN) d. Kimberly Anicete (RICE) 6-2, 6-4
5) Katherine Ip (RICE) d. No. 94 Ellen Tsay (STAN) 2-6, 7-5 (4), 1-0 (10-4)
6) No. 41 Taylor Davidson (STAN) d. Alison Ho (RICE) 6-1, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 6, 2, 3, 5, 1
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Matches over the next month will be played under the experimental rules format. For women’s matches, the rules are as follows:
The dual match will consist of three doubles matches played first (worth a total of one point), followed by six singles matches, each individual match worth one point. Four points are required to win the team match.
The three doubles matches will each consist of one set, with regular scoring and a tie-breaker at 6 all. Once a team has won two doubles matches, the remaining doubles match shall not be completed.
Six singles matches will follow the doubles. Each singles match is two out of three sets, with each set using regular scoring, and a match tie-breaker in lieu of the third set.
All singles matches will be played to completion unless both coaches agree to do otherwise.
There will be no warm-up against opponents before the first point is played in doubles and singles: players will be expected to warm- up with their own team prior to the scheduled match time.