The season of shutouts for No. 24 women’s tennis (5-0, 2-0 Pac-12) is no more as fifth-year Emily Arbuthnott lost the team’s first match of the season in a 6-1 win over St. Mary’s (2-3, 0-0 WCC).

Stanford’s go-to No. 1 player, senior Michaela Gordon, sat for the singles portion of the match, bumping everyone on the roster up one spot. Everyone on the Cardinal seemed up to the challenge, except for Arbuthnott, who replaced Gordon at the top of the lineup. Arbuthnott struggled to keep up with the Gaels’ Mariia Kozyreva and fell in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. Kozyreva started the season ranked 17th in the nation while Arbuthnott was ranked 63rd.

Arbuthnott and her doubles partner, freshman Ana Geller, made quick work of their doubles set 6-3 to start what was otherwise a strong performance for the team on Thursday. 

The Gaels duo of Jocelyn Massey and Aubane Ville were a little too much for senior Janice Shin and junior Sara Choy to handle. The Cardinal pair struggled as Massey and Ville both played close to the net. Choy and Shin lost their doubles set 7-5, but a win from Gordon and junior Niluka Madurawe clinched the doubles point for the Cardinal.

Shin would return the favor in her singles match against Massey, winning in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-1 score at the No. 4 spot. Choy won her singles match too, while playing great defensive tennis, though it took the junior longer to secure victory in the second set.

Rounding out the Cardinal performance were victories from Madurawe, Geller and fifth-year Emma Higuchi, who all won in straight sets.

The Cardinal will stay on the Farm for the rest of the quarter. They host Arizona State (7-3, 1-0 Pac-12) on March 19.