STANFORD, Calif. – Southeast Missouri women's tennis (15-7), the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Champions, competed in its first-ever NCAA Tournament Friday at No. 15-ranked Stanford. In a historic season of firsts, the Redhawks fell to #15 Stanford, (18-5), the 2022 Pac-12 Tournament Champions, 4-0, Friday in the First Round of the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship held at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium.
 
Stanford grabbed the doubles point to open the First Round matchup with wins at the third and first slots. 
 
Valencia Xu and Michaela Gordon commenced the dual with a 6-2 victory over Myroslava Zelenchuk and Vivian Lai at No. 3. 
 
Angelica Blake and Connie Ma who are ranked 19th nationally then beat Romana Tarajova and Ksenia Shikanova, 6-2, for the point. 
 
Daniela Hlacikova and Teona Velkoska, SEMO's 2022 All-OVC Doubles Team, trailed Sara Choy and Alexandra Yepifanova, 5-4, at No. 2 doubles before the match went unfinished. 
 
When the competition switched to singles, the Cardinal posted wins at the sixth, second, and third lineup positions to clinch the match and advance to the Second Round where they will face No. 27 UC Santa Barbara.
 
The Gauchos (21-6) rallied to beat No. 25 Kansas (15-11), 4-3, in the opening 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship matchup at Stanford Friday. 
 
Choy overcame Velkoska, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 6 before Yepifanova who is ranked #23 in the NCAA edged Hlacikova, a 2022 All-OVC First Teamer from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, 6-4, 6-1.
 
Stanford claimed the dual win at the third position. Blake defeated Shikanova, 6-2, 6-2.
 
Zelenchuk, a freshman from Lviv, Ukraine, took the opening set on India Houghton in her unfinished fourth singles match. 
 
SEMO finishes the 2022 season with a mark of 15-7 and captured its first-ever OVC Tournament Championship. The 15 overall wins in 2022 matched the Redhawks total from 2021 which was the team's highest win total in 28 years as the 1993 SEMO team finished the season with a mark of 17-6 (6-1 OVC).
 
 
#15 Stanford 4, Southeast Missouri State 0 
 
DOUBLES 
1. #19 Angelica Blake/Connie Ma (STAN) d. Ksenia Shikanova/Romana Tarajova (SEMO) 6-2 
2. Sara Choy/Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) led Daniela Hlacikova/Teona Velkoska (SEMO) 5-4 
3. Michaela Gordon/Valencia Xu (STAN) d. Vivian Lai/Myroslava Zelenchuk (SEMO) 6-2 
 
Order of Finish: 3, 1 
 
SINGLES 
1. #26 Connie Ma (STAN) vs. Romana Tarajova (SEMO) 6-4, 4-1 UF 
2. #23 Alexandra Yepifanova (STAN) d. Daniela Hlacikova (SEMO) 6-4, 6-1 
3. Angelica Blake (STAN) d. Ksenia Shikanova (SEMO) 6-2, 6-2 
4. India Houghton (STAN) vs. Myroslava Zelenchuk (SEMO) 5-7, 2-0 UF
5. #113 Valencia Xu (STAN) vs. Vivian Lai (SEMO) 6-2, 3-4 UF
6. Sara Choy (STAN) d. Teona Velkoska (SEMO) 6-1, 6-0

Order of Finish: 6, 2, 3