STANFORD, Calif. - Less than 24 hours after capturing the NCAA title, Stanford returned to the court with three participants on the opening day of competition at the NCAA Singles Championship.
Sophomore Emily Arbuthnott and freshman Michaela Gordon won their first-round matches while junior Melissa Lord was eliminated.
Arbuthnott defeated South Carolina's Ingrid Gamarra Martins 6-3, 7-5 while Gordon cruised past Wichita State's Fatima Bizhukova 6-2, 6-3.
Lord dropped a 6-4, 6-1 decision to Florida International's Andrea Lazaro, closing out her 2018 campaign. Lord, who provided the clincher in Stanford's 4-3 victory over Vanderbilt in Tuesday's national final, wrapped up her season at 19-5 overall and 11-1 in duals. Ranked No. 40 in the nation, Lord was named an All-Pac-12 second team selection, contributing to the Cardinal's late-season surge once she returned from a shoulder injury in late March. Lord's impact was especially felt in the postseason, where she improved to 15-0 over her career in NCAA team matches.
NCAA SINGLES FIRST ROUND
May 23: No. 15 Michaela Gordon d. No. 72 Fatima Bizhukova (WICH) 6-2, 6-3
May 23: No. 13 Andrea Lazaro (FIU) d. No. 40 Melissa Lord 6-4, 6-1
May 23: No. 43 Emily Arbuthnott d. No. 59 Ingrid Gamarra Martins (SCAR) 6-3, 7-5
NCAA SINGLES SECOND ROUND
May 24: No. 15 Michaela Gordon vs. No. 21 Gabriela Talaba (TTECH) – 8 a.m. PT
May 24: No. 43 Emily Arbuthnott vs. No. 52 Josie Kuhlman (FLA) – 8 a.m. PT
NCAA DOUBLES FIRST ROUND
May 24: No. 3 Emily Arbuthnott/Michaela Gordon vs. No. 15 Chandler Carter/Emma Davis (WAKE) – 1:30 p.m. PT