[ColoradoTree]

Good morning, CardBoarders! 

Your 6th-ranked and 5th-seeded Stanford women's tennis team starts ITA Indoor Nationals today in Seattle, facing off against 5th-ranked but unseeded Georgia at 9:00am. If we win, we'll play the winner of #4 Duke (seeded 4th) and #15 Oklahoma. If we lose, we'll likely play the loser of those two, but sometimes they do funky things with the consolation bracket. 

Here's the tournament page with the bracket, tournament info, and links to live streaming: https://www.wearecollegetennis.com/champ...or-champs/

Wait, what is this?

Indoor Nationals is one of the two major team tournaments on the college tennis calendar, with the other being the NCAA championships in the spring. Stanford prefers outdoor courts so this hasn't always been our best event, but all the matches count the same. It's a 16-team single-elimination tournament, with each team guaranteed three matches and the semifinal winners getting a fourth in the final. It's a big deal, don't get me wrong, but it's also not the national championships, something that schools like Georgia have blurred in the past. (Georgia's team's official Twitter bio says they're 6x national champions. They're not. They have won twice. They are counting 4 ITA Nationals titles, and I think that's madness.) It's an elite tournament that requires teams to qualify, but it's also at the beginning of the season, not at the end. If you're European soccer fans, think of it as like a domestic super cup, an exciting beginning to the team season. But national championships are for the team that's the best at the end of the season, not at the beginning. The primary benefit of this tournament, in my eyes, is an early-season form check, and an opportunity to get those all-important ranked wins on your resume, recognizing that losses to ranked teams aren't terribly damaging. 

Anyway, the top 8 teams in the current rankings, and 15 of the top 17, are here. The 16th team is host Washington, who would probably be happy with even one win out of this tournament. 

How Georgia got here:

They rolled over Stetson 4-0 and Notre Dame 4-1 (who upset USC, remember) to book their place, but they've lost both matches since then, 5-2 to #2 UNC and 4-0 to #11 Ohio State, though both matches were on the road. 

Interestingly, Georgia has lost the doubles point in three of their four matches so far, so this is the rare top team where we might feel a bit optimistic heading into doubles. 

Expected lineups (with new ITA rankings):

1. #3 Connie Ma vs. #11 Lea Ma (preseason #26)
2. #41 Alexandra Yepifanova vs. #40 Dasha Vidmanova (preseason #79)
3. #31 Angelica Blake vs. #39 Mell Reasco (preseason #13)
4. #56 Alexis Blokhina vs. Meg Kowalski
5. #88 Valencia Xu vs. Ania Hertel (preseason #101)
6. Sara Choy vs. #84 Anastasia Lopata (preseason #10 newcomer)

How to watch: https://web.playsight.com/facility/unive...ngton/home

Live scores: https://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/wi2023/lp.html

Prediction: Stanford wins 4-1 behind the doubles point and wins from Ma, Blokhina, and Xu, but the matches are by and large all very competitive.

[ColoradoTree]

Good morning, CardBoarders! 

Your 6th-ranked and 5th-seeded Stanford women's tennis team starts ITA Indoor Nationals today in Seattle, facing off against 5th-ranked but unseeded Georgia at 9:00am. If we win, we'll play the winner of #4 Duke (seeded 4th) and #15 Oklahoma. If we lose, we'll likely play the loser of those two, but sometimes they do funky things with the consolation bracket. 

Here's the tournament page with the bracket, tournament info, and links to live streaming: https://www.wearecollegetennis.com/champ...or-champs/

Wait, what is this?

Indoor Nationals is one of the two major team tournaments on the college tennis calendar, with the other being the NCAA championships in the spring. Stanford prefers outdoor courts so this hasn't always been our best event, but all the matches count the same. It's a 16-team single-elimination tournament, with each team guaranteed three matches and the semifinal winners getting a fourth in the final. It's a big deal, don't get me wrong, but it's also not the national championships, something that schools like Georgia have blurred in the past. (Georgia's team's official Twitter bio says they're 6x national champions. They're not. They have won twice. They are counting 4 ITA Nationals titles, and I think that's madness.) It's an elite tournament that requires teams to qualify, but it's also at the beginning of the season, not at the end. If you're European soccer fans, think of it as like a domestic super cup, an exciting beginning to the team season. But national championships are for the team that's the best at the end of the season, not at the beginning. The primary benefit of this tournament, in my eyes, is an early-season form check, and an opportunity to get those all-important ranked wins on your resume, recognizing that losses to ranked teams aren't terribly damaging. 

Anyway, the top 8 teams in the current rankings, and 15 of the top 17, are here. The 16th team is host Washington, who would probably be happy with even one win out of this tournament. 

How Georgia got here:

They rolled over Stetson 4-0 and Notre Dame 4-1 (who upset USC, remember) to book their place, but they've lost both matches since then, 5-2 to #2 UNC and 4-0 to #11 Ohio State, though both matches were on the road. 

Interestingly, Georgia has lost the doubles point in three of their four matches so far, so this is the rare top team where we might feel a bit optimistic heading into doubles. 

Expected lineups (with new ITA rankings):

1. #3 Connie Ma vs. #11 Lea Ma (preseason #26)
2. #41 Alexandra Yepifanova vs. #40 Dasha Vidmanova (preseason #79)
3. #31 Angelica Blake vs. #39 Mell Reasco (preseason #13)
4. #56 Alexis Blokhina vs. Meg Kowalski
5. #88 Valencia Xu vs. Ania Hertel (preseason #101)
6. Sara Choy vs. #84 Anastasia Lopata (preseason #10 newcomer)

How to watch: https://web.playsight.com/facility/unive...ngton/home

Live scores: https://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/wi2023/lp.html

Prediction: Stanford wins 4-1 behind the doubles point and wins from Ma, Blokhina, and Xu, but the matches are by and large all very competitive.

[BobK]

Sadly list the doubles 2-1. Up to singles now

[BobK]

Sadly list the doubles 2-1. Up to singles now

[ColoradoTree]

I am deeply, deeply tired of this team's year-over-year poor performance in doubles. It's a big, important point! And while we're often strong enough in singles to pull some of these matches out, we are consistently putting ourselves behind the 8-ball. Whatever we're doing for doubles just isn't working. 

Georgia 1, Stanford 0

1. Ma leads 5-4
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 1-2
3. Blake leads 6-0, 3-1
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 0-1
5. Xu tied 5-5
6. Choy tied 5-5

---

Georgia 1, Stanford 1

1. Ma leads 7-5, 0-0
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 2-5
3. Blake wins 6-0, 6-2
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 3-2 (on serve)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 1-1
6. Choy leads 7-5, 2-1 (on serve)

And Ma makes it four first sets, which puts us on the path we need, but three of those were 7-5, so we're in some real battles, with Yepifanova and Blake having the uncompetitive matches going in opposite directions. Feels like Blokhina is getting back into it, having lost the first set and going down 0-2, and now she's won a few in a row.

[ColoradoTree]

I am deeply, deeply tired of this team's year-over-year poor performance in doubles. It's a big, important point! And while we're often strong enough in singles to pull some of these matches out, we are consistently putting ourselves behind the 8-ball. Whatever we're doing for doubles just isn't working. 

Georgia 1, Stanford 0

1. Ma leads 5-4
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 1-2
3. Blake leads 6-0, 3-1
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 0-1
5. Xu tied 5-5
6. Choy tied 5-5

---

Georgia 1, Stanford 1

1. Ma leads 7-5, 0-0
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 2-5
3. Blake wins 6-0, 6-2
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 3-2 (on serve)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 1-1
6. Choy leads 7-5, 2-1 (on serve)

And Ma makes it four first sets, which puts us on the path we need, but three of those were 7-5, so we're in some real battles, with Yepifanova and Blake having the uncompetitive matches going in opposite directions. Feels like Blokhina is getting back into it, having lost the first set and going down 0-2, and now she's won a few in a row.

[Lorcan]

Yepifanova getting absolutely blown off the court. Blake pulls us a point back. 

1. Ma leads 7-5
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6 2-5 
3. Blake wins 6-0 6-2
4. Blokhina trails 6-3 2-3
5. Xu leads 7-5 1-1
6. Choy leads 7-5 2-1

It's incredibly important that Xu and Choy pulled through in their first sets -

---

I guess I didn't need to do my update - but glad to see that we're both watching!

---

Wow. Yepifanova breaks! She's back on serve trailing 4-5 in the second - saving multiple match points and deciding points.

---

She's not making it easy on herself as Yepifanova battles back from 0-40 (and four match points) to get to 5-5 in the second set.

[Lorcan]

Yepifanova getting absolutely blown off the court. Blake pulls us a point back. 

1. Ma leads 7-5
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6 2-5 
3. Blake wins 6-0 6-2
4. Blokhina trails 6-3 2-3
5. Xu leads 7-5 1-1
6. Choy leads 7-5 2-1

It's incredibly important that Xu and Choy pulled through in their first sets -

---

I guess I didn't need to do my update - but glad to see that we're both watching!

---

Wow. Yepifanova breaks! She's back on serve trailing 4-5 in the second - saving multiple match points and deciding points.

---

She's not making it easy on herself as Yepifanova battles back from 0-40 (and four match points) to get to 5-5 in the second set.

[ColoradoTree]

That's a really, really impressive win from Blake. Mell Reasco is a legit very good player and Blake just dominated her start to finish. That might be an eyebrow-raising result for a lot around the college tennis world. 

Georgia 1, Stanford 1

1. Our Ma leads their Ma 7-5, 2-1. Connie broke Lea Ma by painting successive ground strokes on the opposite lines. She can be an absolute artist. But then she hit a backhand into the net on deciding point, so we're back on serve.  
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 5-6. Sasha showing some fight!
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 3-5. Trainer came out to look at Blokhina, but she plays on. She needs to find something here shortly. 
5. Xu leads 7-5, 3-3 
6. Choy leads 7-5, 4-2 

Sasha was serving down 4-5, 0-40 and won 4 in a row to tie the set up at 5-5! Absolutely on the brink multiple times this set, fought off several match points. She'll now serve to force a tiebreaker. 

We have the four first sets we need, but the margin is razor thin here.

[ColoradoTree]

That's a really, really impressive win from Blake. Mell Reasco is a legit very good player and Blake just dominated her start to finish. That might be an eyebrow-raising result for a lot around the college tennis world. 

Georgia 1, Stanford 1

1. Our Ma leads their Ma 7-5, 2-1. Connie broke Lea Ma by painting successive ground strokes on the opposite lines. She can be an absolute artist. But then she hit a backhand into the net on deciding point, so we're back on serve.  
2. Yepifanova trails 1-6, 5-6. Sasha showing some fight!
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 3-5. Trainer came out to look at Blokhina, but she plays on. She needs to find something here shortly. 
5. Xu leads 7-5, 3-3 
6. Choy leads 7-5, 4-2 

Sasha was serving down 4-5, 0-40 and won 4 in a row to tie the set up at 5-5! Absolutely on the brink multiple times this set, fought off several match points. She'll now serve to force a tiebreaker. 

We have the four first sets we need, but the margin is razor thin here.

[Sakibomb25]

Why are we so bad at doubles? I mean some of our recruits were good doubles players as juniors… what’s the disconnect here?

[Sakibomb25]

Why are we so bad at doubles? I mean some of our recruits were good doubles players as juniors… what’s the disconnect here?

[ColoradoTree]

Georgia 2, Stanford 1

1. Our Ma leads 7-5, 3-3
2. Yepifanova loses 1-6, 6-7 (tiebreaker was 8-6)
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 5-6 (Kowalski serving for the match now)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 4-5 (on serve)
6. Choy leads 7-5, 5-4 (they've been trading breaks, but Choy just held a big one)

If Blokhina can get to a tiebreaker and win it, can't say enough how massive that would be.

---

Georgia 3, Stanford 2 as Blokhina loses the second set 7-5 but then Choy gets a win on 6. We lead in what's left, but we need both of them.

---

1. Ma leads 7-5, 4-3
5. Xu tied 7-5, 4-6, 0-0. Xu had deciding point on her serve to tie it up at 5-5 in the second, but alas.
6. Choy won 7-5, 6-4

[ColoradoTree]

Georgia 2, Stanford 1

1. Our Ma leads 7-5, 3-3
2. Yepifanova loses 1-6, 6-7 (tiebreaker was 8-6)
4. Blokhina trails 3-6, 5-6 (Kowalski serving for the match now)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 4-5 (on serve)
6. Choy leads 7-5, 5-4 (they've been trading breaks, but Choy just held a big one)

If Blokhina can get to a tiebreaker and win it, can't say enough how massive that would be.

---

Georgia 3, Stanford 2 as Blokhina loses the second set 7-5 but then Choy gets a win on 6. We lead in what's left, but we need both of them.

---

1. Ma leads 7-5, 4-3
5. Xu tied 7-5, 4-6, 0-0. Xu had deciding point on her serve to tie it up at 5-5 in the second, but alas.
6. Choy won 7-5, 6-4

[Lorcan]

It's 3-2 as Blokhina falls on a deciding point to force a tiebreak, but Choy closes Grant out on 6. 

We need both Xu and Ma to come through.

---

Xu loses a deciding point at 4-5 in the second, and she's off to a third set.

---

Stanford's Ma is broken after an unusual error from her - the Georgian Ma to serve for the second set at 5-4. On the bright side, Xu broke to open affairs in the third on Court 5.

[Lorcan]

It's 3-2 as Blokhina falls on a deciding point to force a tiebreak, but Choy closes Grant out on 6. 

We need both Xu and Ma to come through.

---

Xu loses a deciding point at 4-5 in the second, and she's off to a third set.

---

Stanford's Ma is broken after an unusual error from her - the Georgian Ma to serve for the second set at 5-4. On the bright side, Xu broke to open affairs in the third on Court 5.

[ColoradoTree]

Georgia 3, Stanford 2

1. Ma leads 7-5, 4-5 (Connie finally gets broken, and it's at the worst time)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (breaks Hertel to open the third)

---

And it's a third set on 1 as Lea Ma takes it 6-4 over Connie.

Meanwhile, Xu is up an early break at 2-0.

---

Hertel holds, so Xu is up 2-1 and will serve next.

Connie broken quickly to start the third. Lele needs to get in there and get her to snap out of it. Body language not great, but it's never great for Connie when she's frustrated. Walks around like Eeyore out there sometimes.

---

Now it's Xu broken quickly and it's 2-2 there. Come on, Valencia!

---

Third sets:
1. Connie trails 0-3, down a double break. She's in her own head.
5. Xu trails 2-3 (on serve)

[ColoradoTree]

Georgia 3, Stanford 2

1. Ma leads 7-5, 4-5 (Connie finally gets broken, and it's at the worst time)
5. Xu leads 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (breaks Hertel to open the third)

---

And it's a third set on 1 as Lea Ma takes it 6-4 over Connie.

Meanwhile, Xu is up an early break at 2-0.

---

Hertel holds, so Xu is up 2-1 and will serve next.

Connie broken quickly to start the third. Lele needs to get in there and get her to snap out of it. Body language not great, but it's never great for Connie when she's frustrated. Walks around like Eeyore out there sometimes.

---

Now it's Xu broken quickly and it's 2-2 there. Come on, Valencia!

---

Third sets:
1. Connie trails 0-3, down a double break. She's in her own head.
5. Xu trails 2-3 (on serve)

[Lorcan]

Yeah - Connie has just fallen apart here - and I'm not sure that she'll find her way back based on her language on court at the moment.

---

Georgia 3, Stanford 2

1. Ma trails 7-5, 4-6 0-3 
5. Xu trails 7-5, 4-6, 2-3 (on serve)

[Lorcan]

Yeah - Connie has just fallen apart here - and I'm not sure that she'll find her way back based on her language on court at the moment.

---

Georgia 3, Stanford 2

1. Ma trails 7-5, 4-6 0-3 
5. Xu trails 7-5, 4-6, 2-3 (on serve)

[ColoradoTree]

If Connie doesn't figure this out soon, she's not going to give Valencia (tied 3-3) a chance to pull out a win.

[ColoradoTree]

If Connie doesn't figure this out soon, she's not going to give Valencia (tied 3-3) a chance to pull out a win.

[martyup]

If Connie doesn't figure this out soon, she's not going to give Valencia (tied 3-3) a chance to pull out a win.

Ma is losing to Ma.  Mama mia!

---

Ma goes down and we lose to Georgia 4 - 2.  Deep fried crap on a stick.

[martyup]

If Connie doesn't figure this out soon, she's not going to give Valencia (tied 3-3) a chance to pull out a win.

Ma is losing to Ma.  Mama mia!

---

Ma goes down and we lose to Georgia 4 - 2.  Deep fried crap on a stick.

[ColoradoTree]

Lea Ma is an elite player. You can't get too mad at Connie losing on that line, though you can (and should) absolutely be frustrated with her mentally losing focus in the third. Sometimes you only win matches when your ace is on her game. Today was one of those. 

Yepifanova simply has to be better. She can't eat breadsticks in matches like this. She should've won today, not lost in straight sets.

Not sure what was ailing Blokhina, but she has to be better, too.

Doubles and some letdown singles performances take the shine off Blake absolutely crushing Mell Reasco in a match I wasn't at all confident she'd win. And good job by Choy to gut out her match, too.

[ColoradoTree]

Lea Ma is an elite player. You can't get too mad at Connie losing on that line, though you can (and should) absolutely be frustrated with her mentally losing focus in the third. Sometimes you only win matches when your ace is on her game. Today was one of those. 

Yepifanova simply has to be better. She can't eat breadsticks in matches like this. She should've won today, not lost in straight sets.

Not sure what was ailing Blokhina, but she has to be better, too.

Doubles and some letdown singles performances take the shine off Blake absolutely crushing Mell Reasco in a match I wasn't at all confident she'd win. And good job by Choy to gut out her match, too.

[martyup]

Do we play again in this tourney, or are we heading home?

[martyup]

Do we play again in this tourney, or are we heading home?

[Spiny_Norman]

Do we play again in this tourney, or are we heading home?

According to the bracket, Stanford will play the loser of the Duke vs. Oklahoma match happening now. OU rolled Stanford out of the NCAA tournament last year in the round of 16.

[Spiny_Norman]

Do we play again in this tourney, or are we heading home?

According to the bracket, Stanford will play the loser of the Duke vs. Oklahoma match happening now. OU rolled Stanford out of the NCAA tournament last year in the round of 16.

[fullmetal]

#5 Duke lost to #15 Oklahoma (2-4), so Stanford will play Duke in battle of the brainiacs at 3PM Eastern time tomorrow.

https://goduke.com/news/2023/2/10/womens...doors.aspx

[fullmetal]

#5 Duke lost to #15 Oklahoma (2-4), so Stanford will play Duke in battle of the brainiacs at 3PM Eastern time tomorrow.

https://goduke.com/news/2023/2/10/womens...doors.aspx

[fullmetal]

Duke is up 3-0 after taking the doubles point and winning at the first and sixth spots, straight sets.  The remaining four courts all saw Stanford players take the first set and drop the second.  

https://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/w...44&ci2=625

[fullmetal]

Duke is up 3-0 after taking the doubles point and winning at the first and sixth spots, straight sets.  The remaining four courts all saw Stanford players take the first set and drop the second.  

https://scores.tennisticker.de/usa/ita/w...44&ci2=625

[BostonCard]

Duke wins 4-3, taking the doubles *sigh* and 1, 5, and 6.  

BC

[BostonCard]

Duke wins 4-3, taking the doubles *sigh* and 1, 5, and 6.  

BC

[terry]

These seem like pretty disappointing results. ColoradoTree, any thoughts?

[terry]

These seem like pretty disappointing results. ColoradoTree, any thoughts?

[cardfan77]

Stanford was able to salvage the weekend with a win against #9 Vanderbilt, 4-2. Stanford won the doubles point and Ma played at #2 and demolished her opponent 6-1, 6-1. Yepifanova did not finish her match at #1 but she won first set. 

I’ll wait for ColoradoTree’s full recap.

[cardfan77]

Stanford was able to salvage the weekend with a win against #9 Vanderbilt, 4-2. Stanford won the doubles point and Ma played at #2 and demolished her opponent 6-1, 6-1. Yepifanova did not finish her match at #1 but she won first set. 

I’ll wait for ColoradoTree’s full recap.