STANFORD, Calif.- No. 4 Stanford answered its first loss in nearly a year with its ninth shutout of the season in a 4-0 victory over No. 13 USC on Saturday afternoon at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.
After dropping a hard-fought 4-3 decision to No. 3 UCLA on Friday for only its fourth home loss since 1999, Stanford (14-1, 6-1 Pac-12) bounced back with a quick and decisive victory over USC (14-6, 5-2 Pac-12).
The Cardinal earned a split of its homestand against the Southern California schools, which promised to be one of its final hurdles before postseason play begins in May.
Stanford captured the doubles point for a 1-0 lead, surrendering only five games combined while posting victories at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots.
Similar to Friday’s match, Stanford received immediate boosts from Carol Zhao and Caroline Doyle. The Cardinal extended its lead to 2-0 following a 6-2, 6-3 victory from Zhao on court three, then received a 6-4, 6-2 triumph from Doyle on court six. Both rookies are Stanford’s hottest players as of late, with Zhao having won 14 in a row while Doyle is riding a 12-match winning streak.
Leading 3-0, Kristie Ahn provided the clincher with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Zoe Scandalis at the top spot of the lineup. One day after suffering only her third loss of the year, Ahn notched her team-leading 25th win of the year.
The remaining singles matches were abandoned.
Stanford returns to action on Friday, April 11, at Oregon in a 12 p.m. start.
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No. 4 Stanford 4, No. 13 USC 0
DOUBLES
1) No. 10 Ahn/Zhao (STAN) d. Boren/Christian (USC) 8-3
2) No. 36 Davidson/Tsay (STAN) vs. Katz/Olmos (USC) abandoned
3) Doyle/Hardebeck (STAN) d. DeSimone/Scandalis (USC) 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
1) No. 2 Kristie Ahn (STAN) d. No. 26 Zoe Scandalis (USC) 6-2, 6-3
2) No. 39 Krista Hardebeck (STAN) vs. Brynn Boren (USC) abandoned
3) No. 28 Carol Zhao (STAN) d. Gabriella DeSimone (USC) 6-2, 6-3
4) No. 27 Taylor Davidson (STAN) vs. Kaitlyn Christian (USC) abandoned
5) No. 42 Ellen Tsay (STAN) vs. No. 69 Giuliana Olmos (USC) abandoned
6) No. 37 Caroline Doyle (STAN) d. No. 90 Zoe Katz (USC) 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 6, 1