SAN MARTIN, Calif. — On a drizzling Thursday at Cordevalle, top-ranked Stanford women's golf squared off against No. 17 San Jose State in the Battle of the Bay. After falling short one season ago against the Spartans, Stanford returned to the win column with a 5-1 victory in match play.
Commanding victories were scored early by Rachel Heck and Megha Ganne. Heck, returning to the lineup, defeated Rebecca Gyllner 5&4, using four birdies to her advantage, including three on the front nine. Ganne defeated Darae Chung by the same score, while also recording three birdies during the first nine holes. For Heck, it is her first victory in match play this season, while Ganne earned her third.
Sadie Englemann was able to take care of Lucia Lopez-Ortega 4&3 while piling up five birdies on the day. She began to pull away during holes 10-13, where she birdied three times and turned a one stroke lead a three stroke lead. Kelly Xu also earned a win, taking down Moa Andersson 2&1. Xu led by as many as four strokes but struggled on the back nine, with the lead closing up to just one stroke. She birdied on 17 to secure the win, which clinched the team result for Stanford.
Paula Martin Sampedro won 1up over Louisa Carlbom in what turned out to be an eventful match. They were tied through 14 when Carlbom eagled on 15 to take the lead, but then Martin Sampedro birdied the next two holes to pull in front, where she would win it with a par on 18. Caroline Sturdza had an entertaining match against Kajsa Arwefjall as well, where Sturdza led by two strokes early on before Arwefjall settled in and won 3&1.
Stanford will see San Jose State again next week as they play in the annual Juli Inkster Invitational at Meadow Club in Fairfax.
