Strong Start in SoCal – Stanford University Athletics

LOS ANGELES – No. 18 Stanford shot out to a 3-0 lead, but needed a third-set clinch from Alexandra Yepifanova to defeat No. 38 USC on Saturday, improving the Cardinal to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in Pac-12 play.

Each of the doubles courts finished with identical scores of 6-4, with Stanford earning wins on court three from Connie Ma and Valencia Xu and on court one from Angelica Blake and Alexis Blokhina. The win on court one was Blake and Blokhina’s first ranked win of the season.

With the early advantage, Stanford quickly doubled it with a quick 6-0, 6-2 victory from Sara Choy on court six. Ma was the next to finish on court two, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over No. 83 Snow Han, leaving Stanford one win away from the match.

USC mounted a comeback in singles, earning a win on court five and three-set victories on one and five. All eyes locked on Yepifanova and court three, who recovered from a 6-3 loss in the first set and dodged a match point in the second, winning a tiebreak 7-3 followed by a 6-3 deciding clincher. The win is Stanford’s seventh in a row overall and ninth in a row against the Trojans.

Stanford continues its road swing in LA on Sunday, visiting No. 30 UCLA at 12 p.m.

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#18 Stanford 4, #38 USC 3
DOUBLES
1. #62 Angelica Blake/Alexis Blokhina (STAN) d. #22 Eryn Cayetano/Madison Sieg (USC) 6-4
2. Emma Charney/Snow Han (USC) d. Sara Choy/Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) 6-4
3. Connie Ma/Valencia Xu (STAN) d. Naomi Cheong/Nathalie Rodilosso (USC) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
 
SINGLES
1. #5 Madison Sieg (USC) d. #28 Angelica Blake (STAN) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
2. #12 Connie Ma (STAN) d. #83 Snow Han (USC) 6-3, 6-4
3. #33 Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) d. #35 Eryn Cayetano (USC) 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-3
4. Emma Charney (USC) d. #84 Alexis Blokhina (STAN) 6-3, 5-7, 6-1
5. Naomi Cheong (USC) d. Valencia Xu (STAN) 7-5, 6-2
6. Sara Choy (STAN) d. McKenna Koenig (USC) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 5, 1, 4, 3