OJAI, Calif. - Entering Saturday's Pac-12 Championships final, each of the last four meetings between Stanford and UCLA had incredibly followed the same exact script: Bruins winning the doubles point before Emily Arbuthnott clinches a Cardinal win.
Make it five.
Thanks once again to that formula, No. 5 Stanford captured its fourth straight Pac-12 title on Saturday afternoon, overcoming an early deficit to outlast No. 9 UCLA 4-2 for the conference crown.
Despite trailing 1-0 after losing the doubles point, and falling behind again at 2-1, the Cardinal stormed back in singles and completed the comeback when Arbuthnott edged Alaina Miller 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-0 at the No. 4 spot.
Winners of 17 in a row since losing its only match back on Feb. 11, Stanford (22-1, 10-0 Pac-12) is enjoying its longest conference title stretch since a 21-year stranglehold on the Pac-10 from 1988-2008.
Since moving to a team format, the Cardinal is 3-0 all-time at the Pac-12 Championships, having defeated UCLA (18-7, 8-2 Pac-12) in the final in back-to-back seasons.
Arbuthnott hammering home the final nail is nothing new: the junior is arguably Stanford's most clutch performer, improving to 21-4 career in three-setters while leading the team with eight clinchers this season.
Stanford rebounding after losing the doubles point should not surprise anyone either. Since 2016, the Cardinal has now won 18 of its last 23 matches when that's the case.
Trailing 1-0, Caroline Lampl won her 20th consecutive match when she powered past Ayan Broomfield 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot.
UCLA moved back in front 2-1, only to have Melissa Lord extend her winning streak to 10 thanks to a 7-5, 6-3 win over Elysia Bolton at the No. 2 position.
The Cardinal finally took control at 3-2 following Michaela Gordon's 6-4, 6-4 win over Jada Hart at the top spot.
Arbuthnott then made it official, improving to a team-best 30-5 overall this season.
No. 5 Stanford 4, No. 9 UCLA 2
DOUBLES
1) No. 4 Andrews/Broomfield (UCLA) d. No. 14 Lampl/Kimberly Yee (STAN) 6-4
2) No. 12 Bolton/Hart (UCLA) led No. 22 Arbuthnott/Gordon (STAN) 6-5, unfinished
3) Altick/Taylor Johnson (UCLA) d. No. 51 Lord/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
1) No. 24 Michaela Gordon (STAN) d. No. 42 Jada Hart (UCLA) 6-4, 6-4
2) No. 32 Melissa Lord (STAN) d. No. 29 Elysia Boulton (UCLA) 7-5, 6-3
3) No. 68 Caroline Lampl (STAN) d. Ayan Broomfield (UCLA) 6-2, 6-1
4) No. 46 Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) d. Alaina Miller (UCLA) 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-0
5) No. 106 Janice Shin (STAN) led No. 118 Abi Altick (UCLA) 2-6, 6-4, 2-1, unfinished
6) Gabby Andrews (UCLA) d. No. 88 Emma Higuchi (STAN) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 2, 1, 4