OJAI, Calif. – No. 32 Stanford fell short in its bid for back-to-back Pac-12 Championship Final appearances, falling 4-1 to No. 2 and top-seeded UCLA Friday afternoon.
The Cardinal (14-10) was able to take the lead early on, grabbing the doubles point from the Bruins for the third time this season. Tom Fawcett and Maciek Romanowicz made quick work of the fifth-ranked Bruin duo of Martin Redlicki and Mackenzie McDonald at the No. 1 spot with a 6-2 win before David Wilczynski and Nolan Paige battled to a 7-5 win at No. 2.
The Bruins (21-2) fired back to dictate the match in singles though, collecting straight-set wins at courts four and six. No. 10 Mackenzie McDonald brought the Bruins within striking distance with a 6-4, 6-3 win over 12th-ranked Tom Fawcett at No. 1.
The clincher came at court three as No. 55 Gage Brymer closed it out for UCLA with a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 77 David Wilczynski.
Stanford will find out its postseason status this week as the NCAA reveals the tournament bracket. NCAA Tournament play begins May 13.
No. 2 UCLA 4, No. 32 Stanford 1
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DOUBLES
1) No. 39 Fawcett/Maciek Romanowicz (STAN) d. No. 5 Redlicki/McDonald (UCLA) 6-2
2) Paige/Wilczynski (STAN) d. Di Giulio/Sell (UCLA) 7-5
3) Yale Goldberg/Kumar (STAN) vs. Maxime Cressy/Austin Rapp (UCLA)
Order of finish: 1, 2
SINGLES
1) No. 10 Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA) d. No. 12 Tom Fawcett (STAN) 6-4, 6-3
2) Michael Genender (STAN) vs. No. 42 Martin Redlicki (UCLA) 5-7, 3-4, unfinished
3) No. 55 Gage Brymer (UCLA) d. No. 77 David Wilczynski (STAN) 6-2, 6-4
4) No. 92 Karue Sell (UCLA) d. Nolan Paige (STAN) 6-2, 6-2
5) Maciek Romanowicz (STAN) vs. Logan Staggs (UCLA) 3-6, 6-3, 0-1, unfinished
6) Joseph Di Giulio (UCLA) d. Sameer Kumar (STAN) 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish: 4, 6, 1, 3