Syracuse Falls To Stanford In First Match Out West

By Drew Albaugh | @Drew_Albaugh

After a four-game conference homestand in which Syracuse tennis went just 1-3, a trip to California to face Stanford and Cal seemed like a potential reset for the Orange. However, Syracuse (8-4, 1-4 ACC) did not get the desired result in its first match of the trip, falling 4-1 to Stanford (8-2, 1-0 ACC) on Friday.

The match lasted just over two hours and marked Syracuse’s most decisive defeat since a 4-0 loss to No. 3 North Carolina at Drumlins last month. On the other hand, it was the Cardinal’s first win over a conference opponent since joining the ACC.

From the start, Syracuse was overmatched, losing the doubles point 2-1. The highlight was SU’s No. 1 pairing of Miyuka Kimoto and Nelly Knezkova falling 6-1 to Stanford’s Caroline Driscoll and Valencia Xu. Since winning their debut match together against Duke’s No. 10-ranked duo, Kimoto and Knezkova have now lost three straight doubles sets.

Singles play did not go much better for the Orange, as Stanford secured a 3-1 dual-clinching victory with two matches left unfinished.

At the newly renovated Taube Tennis Center, Stanford’s Valerie Glozman, ranked No. 6 nationally, dominated Knezkova at the No. 2 singles spot, winning 6-1, 6-1. Knezkova was coming off a grueling three-set victory against Florida State that secured Syracuse’s 4-3 win over the Seminoles. But on Friday, she struggled to find the form that Orange fans have come to expect.

The lone victory for Syracuse came from No. 6 singles, where senior Shiori Ito defeated Morgan Schaffer in straight sets. Ito has now competed at four different singles positions, the most on the team.

Syracuse has little time to regroup, as it faces No. 72 California on Saturday, March 8, at 3 p.m. EST.