BERKELEY, Calif.- No. 9 Stanford remained unbeaten through eight matches, collecting a 5-2 victory over No. 16 California on Saturday afternoon.
In a match that was originally scheduled for last Saturday but postponed due to the threat of rain, Stanford (8-0, 0-0 Pac-12) claimed the doubles point and held on for a pair of three-set victories.
One of those came from Carol Zhao, who clinched the match at the No. 3 spot with a 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4 triumph over Denise Starr.
Stanford, which has now defeated three top-25 opponents on the road, took a 1-0 lead thanks to an 8-4 victory from its No. 2 duo of Taylor Davidson and Ellen Tsay.
California (6-4, 0-0 Pac-12) knotted the match at 1-1 following a 6-3, 6-2 victory from Zsofi Susanyi on court two.
Kristie Ahn followed with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Anett Schutting at the top spot of the lineup to put Stanford back in front 2-1.
Tsay added a 6-4, 6-3 win over Klara Fabikova at the No. 5 spot, bringing the Cardinal closer to clinching.
Lynn Chi’s 7-5, 6-3 victory over Davidson on court four allowed the Golden Bears to trim the deficit to 3-2.
Zhao then provided the deciding point when she outlasted Starr in three sets.
Caroline Doyle added a 6-2, 0-6, 7-6 (8) victory to round out the match.
Saturday’s contest does not factor into the conference standings. The rematch on April 19 at Taube Family Tennis Stadium is the Pac-12 counting match.
Stanford is back in action on March 14, hosting Washington in its Pac-12 opener.
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No. 9 Stanford 5, No. 16 California 2
DOUBLES
1) No. 14 Ahn/Zhao (STAN) d. Schutting/Manasse (CAL) 8-6
2) No. 37 Davidson/Tsay (STAN) d. No. 39 Chui/Starr (CAL) 8-4
3) Chi/Duranteau (CAL) d. Doyle/Hardebeck (STAN) 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES
1) No. 5 Kristie Ahn (STAN) d. No. 26 Anett Schutting (CAL) 6-3, 6-3
2) No. 14 Zsofi Susanyi (CAL) d. No. 39 Krista Hardebeck (STAN) 6-3, 6-2
3) No. 31 Carol Zhao (STAN) d. No. 28 Denise Starr (CAL) 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-4
4) No. 43 Lynn Chi (CAL) d. No. 21 Taylor Davidson (STAN) 7-5, 6-3
5) No. 35 Ellen Tsay (STAN) d. Klara Fabikova (CAL) 6-4, 6-3
6) No. 32 Caroline Doyle (STAN) d. No. 78 Maegan Manasse (CAL) 6-2, 0-6, 7-6 (8)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 5, 4, 3, 6