OJAI, Calif. – No. 1 STANFORD captured the inaugural 2017 women’s tennis team championship with a 5-1 win over No. 2 California at Libbey Park in Ojai, Calif. The regular season champions secured the first ever conference team title and an automatic NCAA bid in the victory.

The evening started with the team of Emma Higuchi and Caroline Lampl taking the first victory on court three (6-2), then the duo of Emily Arbuthnott and Taylor Davidson secured the doubles point for Stanford on court one (6-3). California answered in singles play with a win by Karla Popovic on court two (6-3, 6-3). But then Stanford answered with victories by Taylor Davidson on court three (6-4, 6-3) and Emily Arbuthnott (6-1, 7-6). Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the year Caroline Doyle then clinched the match for the Cardinal on court one (4-6, 6-3, 6-3).

Stanford captured an automatic bid, and will be making its 36th consecutive postseason appearance, to the 2017 NCAA Championships to be held in Athens, Ga. May 18-29. The selections will be announced on May 2. Full results and coverage from the 2017 Pac-12 Women’s Tennis team championship can be found at pac-12.com/tennischamps.

No. 1 Stanford 4, No. 2 California 1
Doubles:
1. Emily Arbuthnott/ Taylor Davidson (STAN) def. Maegan Manasse/Maya Jansen (CAL), 6-3
2. Olivia Hauger/Karla Popovic (CAL) vs. Caroline Doyle/Melissa Lord (STAN), 4-3 suspended
3. Emma Higuchi/ Caroline Lampl (STAN) def. Stephane Lin /Denise Starr (CAL), 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1

Singles:
1. Caroline Doyle (STAN) def. Maegan Manasse (CAL), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
2. Karla Popovic (CAL) def. Melissa Lord (STAN), 6-3, 6-3
3. Taylor Davidson (STAN) def. Denise Starr (CAL), 6-4, 6-3
4. Caroline Lampl (STAN) vs Olivia Hauger (CAL), 6-7, 6-2, 1-0 suspended
5. Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) def. Maya Jansen (CAL), 6-1, 7-6
6. Maria Smith (CAL) vs. Emma Higuchi (STAN), 4-6, 6-0, 2-1 suspended
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 5, 1