In one of the most highly anticipated early-season showdowns, No. 3 University of Pennsylvania women hosted No. 4 Stanford on Saturday in Philadelphia, a rematch from last season where the two programs split 6–3 results. Penn entered riding momentum from its Pennsylvania State Championships title, while Stanford opened its 2025 campaign a big weekend of matches against three top-10 opponents – Drexel, U Penn, and Princeton.

First Rotation: Penn Sets the Tone

With the 1, 3, 5, and 7 players kicking off the day, Penn wasted no time asserting itself—despite razor-thin margins across the board.

• #1 — Malak Khafagy (Penn) delivered a composed three-game win to secure the opening point.

• #7 — Ashna Tumuluri (Penn) followed in four tight games, increasing the lead.

• #3 — Sohaila Ismail (Penn) staged a five-game battle to push Penn ahead 3–0.

• #5 — Alexandra Stoddard (Penn) closed the opening wave with another five-gamer

Four matches, four Penn wins, giving the Quakers a commanding 4–0 advantage, but the scoreline didn’t reflect how fine the margins truly were.

Second Rotation: Closing Out Under Pressure

Holding all the momentum, Penn carried its edge into the second rotation featuring positions 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9.

• #2 — Franka Vidovic (Penn) clinched the decisive fifth point in yet another five-game marathon.

• #4 — Malak Taha (Penn) played the longest match of the day, a grueling five-game victory lasting more than an hour.

• #6 — Anne Leakey (Penn) added Penn’s seventh point—again in five games.

• #8 — Tiana Parasrampuria (Stanford) earned the Cardinal’s lone point in a four-game win.

• #9 – Savannah Ingledw (Penn) won another 5 game match.

This was an exceptionally tight contest, with six matches going the full five games and two more decided in four—underscoring how thin the margins were across the lineup. Head Coach Jack Wyant highlighted just how competitive the match truly was, saying, “The 8–1 scoreline does not indicate how close the match was. Six matches went the distance and we were fortunate to prevail in all of them.”

Wyant went on to note that “The women were bolstered by the support of the men’s team. Every one of them showed up and certainly helped get us across the line.” He also credited Stanford’s quality and commented that their win over No. 2 Princeton the following day on Sunday, noting that he “suspects we’ll see them again at Nationals.”

Stanford’s strength throughout the lineup reinforced its status as a national contender, while Penn’s ability to close out the biggest points in the biggest moments ultimately defined the day—and hinted that this matchup may have more chapters ahead.