STANFORD, Calif. - No. 26 Stanford remained unbeaten through seven matches, defeating Arizona 5-2 on Saturday afternoon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.
Navigating through a seven-match homestand, Stanford (7-0, 4-0 Pac-12) locked up the doubles point and relied on its superior depth at the lower lineup spots.
Highlighting the action was Emma Higuchi, whose 6-2, 6-1 victory over Khim Iglupas at the No. 6 spot represented her 100th career singles win. Higuchi improved to 100-18 overall and 71-9 in duals over her career on The Farm, cementing her reputation as one of the most dependable lower-lineup players in the nation. A two-time NCAA team champion (2018-19), Higuchi has won 52 individual sets by a score of 6-0 and 12 matches by a score of 6-0, 6-0 in her career.
Leading 1-0, Sara Choy and Emma Higuchi set up Angelica Blake's 6-3, 6-1 clincher in her first match of the season.
Arizona (9-8, 0-5 Pac-12) pulled rare upsets at the top of the lineup for its two points.
In addition to winning 73 of its last 77 matches at Taube Family Tennis Stadium, the Cardinal has won 42 of its last 43 regular-season Pac-12 contests.
Stanford hosts three more matches next week, starting with UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday, March 24 at 12 p.m.
No. 26 Stanford 5, Arizona 2
DOUBLES
1) Iglupas/Lukic (ARIZ) led Gordon/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) 5-4, susp.
2) No. 9 Arbuthnott/Blake (STAN) d. Heynemans/Wilkins (ARIZ) 6-4
3) No. 32 Choy/Higuchi (STAN) d. Amos/Zandberg (ARIZ) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 2
SINGLES
1) Jelena Lukic (ARIZ) d. No. 10 Michaela Gordon (STAN) 6-4, 7-5
2) Kayla Wilkins (ARIZ) d. No. 63 Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) 6-3, 7-6 (2)
3) No. 58 Angelica Blake (STAN) d. Talya Zandberg (ARIZ) 6-3, 6-1
4) Sara Choy (STAN) d. Abby Amos (ARIZ) 6-0, 6-1
5) No. 114 Janice Shin (STAN) d. Gitte Heynemans (ARIZ) 6-0, 2-6, 6-3
6) Emma Higuchi (STAN) d. Khim Iglupas (ARIZ) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 4, 6, 3, 1, 2, 5