STANFORD, Calif. – The defending national champion Stanford Cardinal flexed its muscle against visiting Washington State with a 4-0 victory Friday afternoon at the Taube Family Tennis Courts.
 
With the loss the Cougars, ranked No. 36 nationally, fell to 17-6 overall, 2-4 in Pac-12 play. Stanford, ranked No. 5, improved to 15-1, 6-0.
 
The day began with doubles as the Cardinal quickly captured two victories to earn the opening point. At No. 2, the 25th-ranked duo of Emily Arbuthnott and Michaela Gordon defeated Yang Lese and Melisa Ates, 6-2. That was followed by No. 36 Melissa Lord and Niluka Madurawe's 6-1 win over Aneta Miksovska and Michaela Bayerlova at No. 3. The first doubles match between WSU's Hikaru Sato and Tiffany Mylonas, ranked No. 75, and Stanford's No. 15 pair of Caroline Lampl and Kimberly Lee, was stopped with Stanford leading 4-3.
 
In singles play, Arbuthnott, ranked No. 22 in the most recent ITA rankings, had little trouble with Savannah Ly-Nguyen, defeating the Cougar freshman 6-2, 6-0 at No. 4. Lord, the nation's 35th-ranked player, fought off a late charge by Sato, winning 6-2, 6-4 at No. 2 while at No. 1, Gordon, ranked No. 36, cruised past Bayerlova, ranked 57th, 6-2, 6-2 to secure the team victory.
 
With the team match clinched, the remaining three matches were stopped. At No. 3, Mylonas was trailing Lampl, 4-6, 1-2, at No. 5 Yang Lee had just dropped a 78-5 first set against Janice Shin, and at No. 6 Miksovska was trailing Higuchi, 3-6, 0-3.
 
The Cougars resume their Bay Area swing Saturday at No. 19 California. Match time is set for noon.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 5 Stanford 4 def. No. 36 Washington State 0
April 5, 2019
Taube Family Tennis Courts
Stanford, Calif.
 
DOUBLES

1. No. 75 Hikaru Sato/Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) vs. No. 15 Caroline Lampl/Kimberly Yee (STAN) 3-4 DNF
2. No. 25 Emily Arbuthnott/Michaela Gordon (STAN) def. Yang Lee/Melisa Ates (WSU) 6-2
3. No. 36 Melissa Lord/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 6-1

Order of Finish: 2,3
 
SINGLES

1. No.36 Michaela Gordon (STAN) def. No. 57 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) 6-2, 6-2
2. No. 35 Melissa Lord (STAN) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-2, 6-4
3. Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) vs. No. 59 Caroline Lampl (STAN) 4-6, 1-2 DNF
4. No. 22 Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-2, 6-0
5. Yang Lee (WSU) vs. No. 74 Janice Shin (STAN) 5-7, 0-0 DNF
6. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) vs. No. 93 Emma Higuchi (STAN) 3-6, 0-3 DNF

Order of Finish: 4,2,1