MALIBU, Calif. – Facing No. 48 UC Santa Barbara in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 27 Stanford women's tennis (15-4) earned a 4-0 victory over the Gauchos (13-4) Friday morning on Pepperdine's campus.
Stanford struck early in doubles for a 1-0 lead after victories on the top two courts. The duo of Emily Arbuthnott and Angelica Blake rolled to a 6-2 win, while Michaela Gordon and Niluka Madurawe were close behind with a 6-3 victory of their own.
Emma Higuchi got the Cardinal off to a scorching start in singles, winning 12 straight games for a 6-0, 6-0 triumph. Ana Geller won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, to extend the Stanford lead to 3-0.
Michaela Gordon clinched the win for the Cardinal at the top spot with matching 6-3 sets to earn her 10th victory of the season.
Stanford improves to 160-19 all-time in NCAA Tournament play.
The Cardinal will face the winner of the Pepperdine/Northern Arizona match on Saturday, May 8 at 1 p.m.
No. 27 Stanford 4, No. 48 UC Santa Barbara 0
DOUBLES
1) Gordon/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) d. Sentenac/Volodko (UCSB), 6-3
2) Arbuthnott/Blake (STAN) d. Khatamova/Reuter (UCSB), 6-2
3) Choy/Higuchi (STAN) vs. Gonzalez-Balbe/Kiss (UCSB), 4-4 susp.
Order of Finish: 2, 1
SINGLES
1) No. 34 Michaela Gordon (STAN) d. Elizaveta Volodko (UCSB), 6-3, 6-3
2) No. 111 Angelica Blake (STAN) led Camille Kiss (UCSB), 7-6 (6), 3-2 susp.
3) No. 94 Shaknoza Khatamova (UCSB) led Emily Arbuthnott (STAN), 6-3, 4-4 susp.
4) Ana Geller (STAN) d. Lise Sentenac (UCSB), 6-2, 6-1
5) Sara Choy (STAN) led Kira Reuter (UCSB), 4-6, 6-3, susp.
6) Emma Higuchi (STAN) d. Matra Gonzalez-Balbe (UCSB), 6-0, 6-0
Order of Finish: 6, 4, 1