Stanford women reach NCAA semifinals

Freshman Carol Zhao, shown against Long Beach State last Satur-
  day at Stanford, clinched the Cardinal's 4-2 win over Virginia in the
NCAA quarterfinals. Tri Nguyen/TriNguyenPhotography.com

   Stanford's freshmen came through again.
   Rookies led the way for the second straight match in the NCAA Championships as the No. 11 seed and defending champion Cardinal women defeated No. 3 Virginia 4-2 in the quarterfinals today in Athens, Ga.
   Stanford (20-2), which has won nine consecutive NCAA Tournament matches as the lower seed,  will face No. 7 North Carolina on Monday at 10 a.m. PDT (live streaming and scoring at www.ncaasports.com) for a berth in the final.
   The Tar Heels (28-5) upset No. 2 Alabama 4-2.
   With the score 2-2 against Virginia, Stanford received victories from freshmen Caroline Doyle and Carol Zhao.
   The 57th-ranked Doyle, from San Francisco, wore down Caryssa Peretz 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 at No. 6 singles to give the Cardinal a 3-2 lead. The 21st-ranked Zhao, from Canada, clinched the victory with a 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4) victory over No. 53 Stephanie Nauta at No. 3 singles.
   Freshman Taylor Davidson, ranked 50th, had given Stanford a 2-0 lead by beating 76th-ranked Rachel Pierson 6-4, 6-1 at No. 4 singles.
   Stanford's three freshmen are 9-0 in singles in four matches in the NCAA Championships.

NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

In Athens, Ga.

Women's quarterfinals

Stanford 4, Virginia 2

Doubles

   1. No. 10 Kristie Ahn and Carol Zhao (S) def. Stefanie Nauta and Li Xi, 8-2.
   2. No. 50 Taylor Davidson and Ellen Tsay (S) def. No. 7 Julia Elbaba and Rachel Pierson, 8-5.
   3. Danielle Collins and Maci Epstein (V) def. Caroline Doyle and Amelia Herring, 8-2.
   Order of finish: 1, 3, 2. 

Singles

   1. No. 4 Julia Elbaba (V) led No. 3 Kristie Ahn, 7-5, 4-4, unfinished.
   2. No. 32 Danielle Collins (V) def. No. 51 Krista Hardebeck, 6-4, 6-2.
   3. No. 21 Carol Zhao (S) def. No. 53 Stephanie Nauta, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4).
   4. No. 50 Taylor Davidson (S) def. No. 76 Rachel Pierson, 6-4, 6-1.
   5. Maci Epstein (V) def. No. 54 Ellen Tsay, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
   6. No. 57 Caroline Doyle (S) def. Caryssa Peretz, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.
   Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 6, 3.