NORMAN, Okla. – No. 9 Stanford beat Yale 4-2 on Friday morning in the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Norman, Oklahoma.
The Cardinal (2-0) will next face the winner of No. 6 Oklahoma and Memphis on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT/4 p.m. CT with a spot in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship in Illinois (Feb. 6-10) on the line.
Stanford freshmen duo of Alyssa Ahn and Tianmei Wang clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 win at No. 2. Sein Myoung and Emma Sun were quick 6-1 winners at No. 3.
The Cardinal’s singles lineup featured several new faces, including its three freshmen that comprised the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in Monika Ekstrand, Ahn and Tianmei Wang, and Myoung a transfer from Cal State Fullerton.
Ahn, who qualified for the NCAA Singles Championship in the fall, was a 6-0, 6-1 winner at No. 2. Yale picked up a couple of points on courts five and six to tie the match at 2-2, but senior Caroline Driscoll won in straight sets at No. 3, 6-4, 6-4, before Ekstrand clinched it with a three-set win at the top spot, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4.
Stanford is seeking its fourth straight ITA Indoors appearance and chasing its first tournament title at the event since 2011.
No. 9 Stanford 4, Yale 2
DOUBLES
1) #12 Leena Friedman/Orly Ogilvy (YALE) d. Caroline Driscoll/Monika Ekstrand (STAN) 6-3
2) Alyssa Ahn/Tianmei Wang (STAN) d. Erin Ha/Angela Huang (YALE) 7-5
3) Sein Myoung/Emma Sun (STAN) d. Shyla Aggarwal/Julia Werdiger (YALE) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
SINGLES
1) #67 Monika Ekstrand (STAN) d. Orly Ogilvy (YALE) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
2) #18 Alyssa Ahn (STAN) d. Leena Friedman (YALE) 6-0, 6-1
3) #77 Caroline Driscoll (STAN) d. Julia Werdiger (YALE) 6-4, 6-4
4) Tianmei Wang (STAN) led Shyla Aggarwal (YALE) 6-4, 5-3 unf.
5) Erin Ha (YALE) d. Sein Myoung (STAN) 6-2, 6-2
6) Angela Huang (YALE) d. Emma Sun (STAN) 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish: 2, 6, 5, 3, 1