CHICAGO - Lower-lineup depth and a clincher from Emily Arbuthnott powered No. 1 Stanford to a 4-1 victory over No. 22 Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships.
Arbuthnott's 7-5, 6-3 victory at the No. 2 spot proved to be the difference for Stanford (5-0), which raced out to a 3-0 lead before holding off a late charge from Georgia Tech (9-3).
The Cardinal took a 1-0 lead after capturing the doubles point with wins at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots.
Sara Choy (6-2, 6-4 at No. 5) and Emma Higuchi (6-3, 6-2 at No. 6) followed with victories in the lower lineup, increasing Stanford's lead to 3-0.
Georgia Tech collected its first point at the top spot of the lineup.
With three matches remaining, two had already reached a third set. However, Arbuthnott avoided extending her match with a straight-set victory on court two.
Stanford next faces No. 4 UCLA on Sunday in the semifinals.
No. 1 Stanford 4, No. 22 Georgia Tech 1
DOUBLES
1) No. 25 Arbuthnott/Blake (STAN) led No. 37 Flores/Jones (GT) 6-6 (4-5)
2) Gordon/Shin (STAN) d. Monika Dedaj/Garcia Gross (GT) 6-3
3) No. 49 Choy/Higuchi (STAN) d. Cohen/Otsuka (GT) 7-6 (4)
Order of Finish: 2, 3
SINGLES
1) No. 60 Kenya Jones (GT) d. No. 6 Michaela Gordon (STAN) 0-6, 6-1, 6-2
2) Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) d. No. 49 Victoria Flores (GT) 7-5, 6-3
3) No. 77 Angelica Blake (STAN) led No. 93 Gia Cohen (GT) 7-5, 3-6, 2-0, unfinished
4) Nami Otsuka (GT) led No. 123 Janice Shin (STAN) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
5) Sara Choy (STAN) d. Rosie Garcia Gross (GT) 6-2, 6-4
6) Emma Higuchi (STAN) d. Nadia Gizdova (GT) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 2