Cougars Take Down No. 37 Oregon, 4-3

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State captured the opening doubles point then held serve with three singles victories as the Cougars defeated No. 37 Oregon, 4-3, in a Pac-12 Conference match Sunday at the Simmelink Tennis Courts.
 
With the win, the Cougars improve to 12-11 on the season, 4-5 in Pac-12 play. Oregon falls to 12-7, 5-5.
 
WSU held a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining, looking to close out both. At No. 2, Hikaru Sato led 5-3 in the third set while Melisa Ates was up a set and leading 5-3 in the second. Taking the drama out of the match, Ates was first to close out, winning 6-3, 6-3 to clinch the team victory. Sato, who rallied back from a set down, was not as fortunate, falling 7-5 in the third for the 4-3 final score.
 
The Cougars jumped out strong in doubles, earning service breaks on all three courts. At No. 3, Pang Jittakoat and Fifa Kumhom put WSU on the board first with a 6-1 win over Allison Mulville and Julia Eshet at No. 3. WSU's Michaela Bayerlova and Yang Lee then clinched the doubles point with a solid, 6-3 win at No. 2 over Janice Tjen and Ares Teixido Garcia. The match on Court 1 was stopped with WSU's Ates and Sato leading Uxia Martinez Moral and Rifanty Khafiana 5-3.
 
In singles play, Oregon's Tjen, ranked 121st nationally, evened the match at 1-1 with a 6-4, 6-1 win over No. 86 Bayerlova at No. 1. Savanna Ly-Nguyen gave WSU a 2-1 lead following a 7-5, 6-1 win over Eshet at No. 4. The victory improved Ly-Nguyen's season record to a team-best 17-2.
 
At No. 3, Martinez Moral defeated Kumhom, 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 to tie the match at 2-2. Jittakoat cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5 to give the Cougars a 3-2 lead, setting the stage for Ates.
 
The Cougars are next in action Tuesday when they host Gonzaga in a nonconference match, set for a Noon start.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Washington State 4 def. No. 37 Oregon 3
April 11, 2021
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Melisa Ates/Hikaru Sato (WSU) vs. Uxia Martinez Moral/Rifanty Kahfiani (UO) 5-3 DNF
No. 2 Michaela Bayerlova/Yang Lee (WSU) def. Janice Tjen/Ares Teixido Garcia (UO) 6-3
No. 3 Pang Jittakoat/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Allison Mulville/Julia Esher (UO) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,2
 
SINGLES
No. 1 #121 Janice Tjen (UO) def. #86 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Rifanty Kahfiani (UO) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5
No. 3 Uxia Martinez Moral (UO) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. Julia Eshet (UO) 7-5, 6-1
No. 5 Pang Jittakoat (WSU) def. Myan Petchey (UO) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Allison Mulville (UO) 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 1,4,3,5,6,2