STANFORD, Calif. - No. 4 Stanford blanked Saint Mary's 7-0 on Friday afternoon in its season opener at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.
The defending NCAA champion Cardinal (1-0) claimed a 1-0 lead after winning the doubles point, highlighted by a 6-0 victory from its top duo of Emily Arbuthnott and Taylor Davidson.
After Arbuthnott and fellow freshman Emma Higuchi stormed their way to dominant victories at the bottom two spots of the lineup, Caroline Doyle provided the clincher with a 6-3, 6-1 triumph at the top spot of the lineup.
The most storied program in college tennis, Stanford captured its 19th national championship (18 NCAA) in 2016, defeating No. 12 Oklahoma State in a 4-3 thriller. At No. 15, Stanford became the lowest-seeded team to win an NCAA title, knocking off No. 2 Florida, No. 10 Michigan and No. 6 Vanderbilt in a span of five days prior to reaching the final.
Stanford returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 8, hosting Sacramento State at 2 p.m. in the second of three consecutive home matches.
No. 4 Stanford 7, Saint Mary's 0
DOUBLES
1) Arbuthnott/Davidson (STAN) d. Clement/Critser (SMC) 6-0
2) Doyle/Lord (STAN) d. Manji/McCord (SMC) 6-3
3) Kaur/Nommensen (SMC) d. Lampl/Kimberly Yee (STAN) 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
SINGLES
1) No. 71 Caroline Doyle (STAN) d. Jana McCord (SMC) 6-3, 6-1
2) Taylor Davidson (STAN) d. Clementine Clement (SMC) 6-2, 6-3
3) Melissa Lord (STAN) d. Danielle McIntyre (SMC) 6-4, 6-3
4) Caroline Lampl (STAN) d. Kareena Manji (SMC) 6-4, 6-3
5) Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) d. Emma Critser (SMC) 6-1, 6-1
6) No. 67 Emma Higuchi (STAN) d. Vanessa Nommensen (SMC) 6-1, 6-0
Order of Finish: 5, 6, 1, 4, 2, 3