This Time, It's Cal

SAN DIEGO - No. 28/25 Stanford dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 27/23 California on Sunday afternoon in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Championships.

Four-time defending Pac-12 champion Stanford (14-4, 8-2 Pac-12) was saddled with its earliest exit since the event's inception in 2016. The Cardinal was enjoying its longest conference title stretch since a 21-year reign on the Pac-10 from 1988-2008.

Stanford, which defeated California 4-3 on April 16 in the regular season meeting at Taube Family Tennis Stadium, entered the Pac-12 Championships having won six in a row in the rivalry series and seven of the last eight contests overall.

However, the Golden Bears (16-6, 7-3 Pac-12) held the upper hand from start to finish on Sunday.

California locked up the doubles point for a 1-0 lead and padded its lead when Haley Giavara defeated Michaela Gordon 6-2, 6-3 at the top spot of the lineup.

Sara Choy followed with a 6-2, 6-4 victory on court five, providing the Cardinal with its only point.

Jada Bui and Anna Bright closed out the win for the Golden Bears.

Stanford will next await its postseason status when the NCAA selections are announced on May 3.

No. 27/23 California 4, No. 28/25 Stanford 1

DOUBLES
1) Giavara/Ivanov (CAL) d. Gordon/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) 6-2
2) Bright/Viller Moeller (CAL) d. Arbuthnott/Blake (STAN) 6-2
3) Choy/Higuchi (STAN) vs. Bui/Erin Richardson (CAL) 4-4, susp.
Order of Finish: 1, 2

SINGLES
1) No. 62 Haley Giavara (CAL) d. No. 39 Michaela Gordon (STAN) 6-2, 6-3
2) Angelica Blake (STAN) vs. Valentina Ivanov (CAL) 2-6, 6-4, 2-2, susp.
3) Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) led Julia Rosenqvist (CAL) 6-3, 0-6, 4-3, susp.
4) Jada Bui (CAL) d. Ana Geller (STAN) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
5) Sara Choy (STAN) d. Hannah Viller Moeller (CAL) 6-2, 6-4
6) Anna Bright (CAL) d. Emma Higuchi (STAN) 7-6, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 4, 6