BERKELEY, Calif. - The No. 3 Cardinal closed the regular season on a roll, picking up its fifth consecutive win in knocking off No. 9 California on Friday afternoon, 5-2.
In its five wins in the month of April, Stanford beat its opponents by a combined score of 26-3, which included two top-10 wins victories over No. 3 Pepperdine (4-0) and Friday's win in Berkeley. The Cardinal closed the regular season 19-2 overall and 8-1 in conference, with a March 23 date against Colorado rained out. Stanford will be the No. 2 seed in next week's Pac-12 Tournament in Ojai, Calif.
Stanford secured the doubles point in a tiebreak on Court 3, as Katherine Hui and Valencia Xu beat Berta Passola Folch and Katja Wiersholm 7-6 (4). The duo is now 14-4 in duals this season.
In singles, the Cardinal knocked off each of Cal's ranked competitors en route to victory. Connie Ma made quick work of No. 38 Hannah Viller Moeller on Court 2, 6-1, 6-0 and Angelica Blake beat No. 49 Valentina Ivanov on Court 1, 6-3, 7-5.
Courts 3 and 4 went to third sets and Stanford prevailed in both. Alexandra Yepifanova clinched it with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 result over No. 45 Katja Wiersholm on Court 3, while Alexis Blokhina, who did not play last week, made her return to beat No. 81 Jessiva Alsola on Court 4, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2.
No. 3 Stanford 5, No. 9 California 2
DOUBLES
1) #24 Connie Ma/Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) d. #26 Mao Mushika/Hannah Viller Moeller (CAL) 6-2
2) Jessica Alsola/Valentina Ivanov (CAL) d. Angelica Blake/Alexis Blokhina (STAN) 6-3
3) Katherine Hui/Valencia Xu (STAN) d. Berta Passola Folch/Katja Wiersholm (CAL) 7-6 (4)
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
SINGLES
1) #35 Angelica Blake (STAN) d. #49 Valentina Invanov (CAL) 6-3, 7-5
2) #10 Connie Ma (STAN) d. #38 Hannah Viller Moeller (CAL) 6-1, 6-0
3) #32 Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) d. #45 Katja Wiersholm (CAL) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
4) Alexis Blokhina (STAN) d. #81 Jessica Alsola (CAL) 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-2
5) Mao Mushika (CAL) d. Katherine Hui (STAN) 6-3, 6-4
6) Lan Mi (CAL) d. Valencia Xu (STAN) 6-3, 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 6, 5, 1, 3, 4