SUGAR GROVE, Ill. – The top-ranked Stanford women's golf team is a point away from playing for the national championship for the third consecutive year.
On Tuesday morning, the Cardinal rallied for a 3-2 quarterfinal victory against Baylor in the NCAA Championships at rainy Rich Harvest Farms. In the afternoon semifinals, Stanford received wins from senior Casey Danielson and junior Shannon Aubert and gained a 2-1 advantage when play was suspended by darkness.
A two-hour afternoon weather delay caused the suspension. There was lightning in the area and the course was soaked by a half-inch of rain.
Two matches are in progress will be resumed at 9 a.m. CT on Wednesday. Freshman Albane Valenzuela holds a 1-up lead on Monica Vaughn through 17 holes. Both hit good drives at the par-5 18th hole and had the option of finishing. Valenzuela elected to play, but Vaughn did not.
"This is match play and it is her decision," said Valenzuela. "I respect that and it is not a big deal."
In the other match, Cardinal freshman Madi Chou is all square against Linnea Strom after 16 holes.
In the quarterfinals, the Cardinal received victories from Danielson, freshmen Andrea Lee and Valenzuela to overtake the seventh-seeded Bears in a rematch of the 2015 national final won by Stanford, 3-2, in sudden death.
It appeared to be heading that way again.
Lee and Danielson led all the way, but Valenzuela was 1-down through 13 holes, before evening her match against Dylan Kim with a par at 14. Valenzuela holed a long putt to win No. 16, then made a nice up-and-down par save from behind the green at the par-4 17th and closed out the match, 2 and 1.
In the other semifinal, USC leads local favorite Northwestern in four of five matches.
The NCAA title match is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. CT. Stanford won the program's first national championship in 2015 and finished second last year.
For live scoring, visit GoStanford.com.
Quarterfinals
Stanford 3, Baylor 2
Byers (B) def. Aubert (S), 2 and 1
Valenzuela (S) def. Kim (Baylor), 2 and 1
Lee (Stanford) def. Vesga (B), 4 and 3
Danielson (S) def. Liddell (B), 3 and 2
Lee (B) def. Chou (S), 6 and 5
Semifinals
(In progress)
Mehaffey (ASU) def. Lee (S), 2 and 1
Valenzuela (S) leads Vaughn (ASU), 1-up through 17
Danielson (S) def. Zeeb (ASU), 3 and 2
Aubert (S) def. Liti (ASU), 4 and 3
Chou (S) and Strom (ASU) all square through 16
