CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Stephanie Yakoff of Harvard women's tennis remains in the hunt for the regional title as she advanced to the semifinals this afternoon. 

The junior captain recorded a convincing win over the ninth-seeded player, Sage Loudon (Cornell).  Yakoff registered two 6-3 results to defeat her Cornell foe in straight sets.  The New Jersey native now stands one win away from securing a birth to the NCAA Individual Championships. 

A day prior, Harvard women's tennis saw three singles players and two doubles teams advance to open the day's play.

Claire Shao continued the strong start to her collegiate career, improving to 5-0 after defeating Dylan Gelber (Cornell).  After falling in the first set, the first-year bounced back with 6-4 and 6-1 results to move on to the round of 16.  Shao's run would later come to a halt as she was defeated by the one-seeded player, Serafima Shastova (Syracuse). 

Kavya Karra also remained undefeated on the year as she knocked off the ninth-seeded player, Michelle Ryndin (Cornell).  Two 6-2 results in the match advanced Karra to the next round of the tournament.  The junior's run to a championship unfortunately came to an end following a three-set (4-6, 6-0, 6-3) battle against Gabriella Mikaul (Boston University). 

To get to the quarterfinals, Yakoff first recorded two victories on Sunday.  The junior defeated Ela Platenikova (UConn) and Leena Friendman (Yale) both in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1 and 6-4, 6-1, respectively. 

Charlotte Owensby and Kate Kim recorded the last win on Saturday for Harvard after they dropped Emma Sanchez and Ella Fernando (Le Moyne) 8-2 in the doubles main draw.  Karra and Yakoff also advanced in the bracket following a withdrawal from their opponents. 

The duo recorded another victory on Sunday, defeating Julia Werdiger and Erin Ha, 8-3.  The Harvard pairing would later see its run come to an end, however, as they fell to Madison McLeod and Chloe Lomans (UConn), 8-4. 

Day 3 Results

Singles – Main Draw
Claire Shao (Harvard) def. Dylan Gelber (Cornell), 1-6, 6-4, 6-1
Kavya Karra (Harvard) def. [9] Michelle Ryndin (Cornell), 6-2, 6-2
Alexandra Orlins (Dartmouth) def. [7] Charlotte Owensby (Harvard), 6-2, 6-1
[4] Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. Ela Platenikova (UConn), 7-5, 6-1
[1] Serafima Shastova (Syracuse) def. Claire Shao (Harvard), 6-4, 7-5
Gabriella Mikaul (Boston University) def. Kavya Karra (Harvard), 4-6, 6-0, 6-3
[4] Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. [9] Leena Friendman (Yale), 6-4, 6-1

Singles – Consolation
Sari Woo (Brown) def. Kate Kim (Harvard), 7-5, 4-6, 10-4

Doubles
[1] Kavya Karra/Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. Gabriella Mikaul/Jiayi Liu (Boston University), ret.
[2] Charlotte Owensby/Kate Kim (Harvard) def. Emma Sanchez/Ella Fernando (Le Moyne), 8-2

Day 4 Results

Doubles
Daniella Benabraham/Abigail Lee (Brown) def. [1] Kavya Karra/Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard), 8-5
[2] Charlotte Owensby/Kate Kim (Harvard) def. [9] Julia Werdiger/Erin Ha (Yale), 8-3
Madison McLeod/Chloe Lomans (UConn) def. [2] Charlotte Owensby/Kate Kim (Harvard), 8-4

Singles
[4] Stephanie Yakoff (Harvard) def. [9] Sage Loudon (Cornell), 6-3, 6-3

Next Up

Stephanie Yakoff will look to punch her ticket to the NCAA Individual Championships as she faces Orly Ogilvy (Yale) at 10:00 a.m. ET tomorrow at the Murr Tennis Courts.