Girls’s tennis powers by way of Texas A&M to succeed in NCAA semifinals

Beneath the lights on the USTA Nationwide Campus in Orlando, Fla., No. 7 Stanford girls’s tennis (25-2, 10-0 PAC 12) vanquished No. 2 Texas A&M (30-3, 13-0 SEC) in Wednesday’s NCAA Match quarterfinals. Displaying the energy of their lineup, the Cardinal received the twin match 4-0 handy the Aggies their first shutout in two years and prolong Stanford’s win streak to 22.

As anticipated, the extent of tennis was excessive and every level was vigorously contested. However because the match unfolded it grew to become clear that, all through the lineup, Stanford was the superior and extra resilient crew, in a position to outplay its opponents at vital factors.

Searching for 4 out of seven doable factors wanted to win the twin match, the Cardinal fell behind in doubles early on earlier than finally steamrolling the Aggies to clinch the doubles level. On courtroom three, the pairing of sophomores Connie Ma and Valencia Xu was down 0-2 earlier than reeling off the ultimate six video games to win 6-2. It was their twelfth consecutive doubles win. Subsequent, on courtroom two, the Stanford tandem of graduate scholar Sara Choy and sophomore Alexandra Yepifanova fell to No. 35 Mia Kupres and Mary Stoiana 6-2. The Aggies’ service returns have been a key to their victory.

All consideration shifted to courtroom one the place, within the deciding match, the No. 16 Cardinal duo of senior Angela Blake and freshman Alexis Blokhina have been battling No. 22 Salma Ewing and Jayci Goldsmith. The latter have been up 4-2 earlier than Blake and Blokhina accelerated. They received the important thing factors by exploiting their opponents’ weak service returns and inconsistency, incomes the final 4 video games, the set 6-4 and the doubles level. The Blake-Blokhina crew improved their file to 18-3 and 6-0 towards ranked opponents. The Cardinal have now received 14 straight doubles factors.

In singles, Stanford received first units on 5 of the six courts to leap out to an early lead. Enjoying within the third slot, No. 44 Blake dissected her opponent, No. 68 Kupres, with quite a few well-constructed factors to win 6-3, 6-3. On courtroom 4, No. 84 Blokhina was down 1-4 within the first set to No. 108 Goldsmith earlier than successful the final 5 video games and the set, 6-4. At one juncture, she received ten consecutive factors. Within the subsequent set nevertheless, Goldsmith jumped out to a 5-1 lead earlier than successful it 6-3. Undaunted, Blokhina proceeded to play her fearless model of tennis within the third set, hitting blazing pictures on or close to the strains and routing her opponent 6-1 to win the match.