OJAI, Calif. - One month ago, Stanford ranked fifth in the Pac-12 standings and was in danger of dropping outside the top-20, unchartered territory for a 17-time NCAA champion and the most storied program in the sport.
Even hosting duties in the NCAA’s early rounds – typically reserved for teams seeded among the top-16 and seemingly an annual occurrence on The Farm – appeared in jeopardy.
After Wednesday’s statement win over USC, the script has completely flipped. Almost predictably, for a program that has traditionally saved its best tennis for the postseason, which after today is guaranteed to begin at Taube Family Tennis Stadium. In fact, the only question now might be how long the Cardinal can continue its late-season charge.
No. 13 Stanford rallied past No. 19 USC 4-2 on Wednesday afternoon in a battle for the Pac-12 title, capturing its 25th conference crown overall and first since 2012 while locking up an automatic NCAA bid in the process.
Despite losing the doubles point and later staring at a 2-0 deficit, Stanford (14-5, 9-1 Pac-12) dominated singles play and used contributions from throughout its lineup to dispatch USC (12-5, 7-1 Pac-12). The neutral-site match became necessary to determine the Pac-12 regular season champion, as the March 11 contest on The Farm was cancelled due to rain.
USC’s early 1-0 edge did little rattle Stanford. After all, in its two biggest wins of the season against No. 7 Florida and No. 1 California, the Cardinal also lost the doubles point before prevailing 4-3.
Zoe Katz then booked a 6-4, 6-1 win over Caroline Doyle at the No. 3 spot, extending USC’s lead 2-0. The score was slightly misleading though, with Stanford starting to control the remaining matches.
Carol Zhao, who ironically would have been unavailable when the teams were scheduled to meet back in March, followed with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Giuliana Olmos in a battle at the top spot. The 2015 NCAA Singles runner-up and three-time All-American, Zhao missed the entire fall and much of the spring as she had been training with the Canadian National Team and competing in pro tournaments. Stanford is now 8-1 with Zhao in the lineup and 6-4 without.
Taylor Davidson powered past Madison Westby 6-1, 7-5 at the No. 2 position, knotting the match at 2-2 and adding to Stanford’s momentum.
A key turning point followed on court six, where Melissa Lord produced arguably the biggest win of her rookie campaign by defeating Rianna Valdes 7-5, 7-6 (1). Lord, who entered the match at 15-11 overall but having beaten only one other nationally-ranked player, put Stanford ahead 3-2 in an important swing match at that juncture.
From that point, it was simply a race to clinch between Caroline Lampl and Krista Hardebeck, both of whom were in the driver’s seat during their third sets. Lampl eventually finished it off, outlasting Jessica Failla 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 for her team-best sixth clincher of the season and second in as many matches.
Hardebeck was one game away from her 16th consecutive victory when the match was suspended.
Meanwhile, Thursday signals the beginning of the Pac-12 Championships, which features a 32-player singles draw and 16-team doubles field. Stanford has produced 11 conference singles champions but is seeking its first since Kristie Ahn (2011) and Nicole Gibbs (2012) went back-to-back. In doubles, the Cardinal has totaled eight winners, including Davidson/Zhao beating Doyle/Ellen Tsay in last year’s all-Stanford affair.
Sunday’s singles championship (10 a.m. PT) and doubles championship (1 p.m. PT) will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Networks.
No. 13 Stanford 4, No. 19 USC 2
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DOUBLES
1) No. 7 Olmos/Smith (USC) d. No. 5 Davidson/Doyle (STAN) 6-3
2) Lord/Zhao (STAN) led No. 80 Katz/Westby (USC) 6-5, unfinished
3) Failla/Valdes (USC) d. No. 67 Hardebeck/Lampl (STAN) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
1) No. 33 Carol Zhao (STAN) d. No. 24 Giuliana Olmos (USC) 6-4, 6-2
2) No. 40 Taylor Davidson (STAN) d. No. 116 Madison Westby (USC) 6-1, 7-5
3) Zoe Katz (USC) d. No. 82 Caroline Doyle (STAN) 6-4, 6-1
4) No. 93 Krista Hardebeck (STAN) led Gabby Smith (USC) 6-4, 3-6, 5-0, unfinished
5) Caroline Lampl (STAN) d. Jessica Failla (USC) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
6) Melissa Lord (STAN) d. No. 115 Rianna Valdes (USC) 7-5, 7-6 (1)
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2, 6, 5