Jankowski Nets Fourth-Straight Win in Sun Devils’ 4-1 Loss at No. 20 USC

LOS ANGELES — Cali Jankowski grinded out her fourth-straight singles win in a 4-1 Sun Devil loss to No. 20 USC on Friday afternoon at the David X. Marks Tennis Stadium.

Jankowski was triumphant against USC's Grace Piper, dispatching her in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. With four straight wins, the last three all against conference opponents, she's 5-1 in her last six contests and has been perfect since a February 26 setback versus San Diego.

The Sun Devils (8-4, 1-2) couldn't dig themselves out of an early hole after stumbling in doubles play. After the No. 56 ranked duo of Domenika Turkovic and Patricija Spaka fell to No. 49 Eryn Cayetano and Grace Piper, 6-2, Jankowski and Natasha Hill pulled out a huge 6-4 win on Court 3, creating a path for the Sun Devils to nab the lone doubles point.

Having played six times now in doubles this spring, the Jankowski-Hill duo has caught fire as of late, winning three of its last four contests.

JANKOWSKI/HILL IN LAST FOUR
February 27: W, 6-3 (Kansas)
March 4: W, 5-2 (Washington)
March 5: L, 6-3 (Washington State)
March 11: W, 6-4 (USC)

Giulia Morlet and Sedona Gallagher were locked in a battle with Snow Han and Naomi Cheong on Court 2 and came out on the wrong end of a tiebreaker, 7-4, after the match was knotted at 6-6.

In singles play, the Trojans would tack on quick wins after trading a point with the Sun Devils. Moments after Natasha Hill fell on Court 6, Jankowski put ASU on the board with her battering in straight sets.

The senior Jankowski matched her win total from the last two seasons combined with her victory on Friday. Already owning nine this season, she totaled just four as a sophomore and then five last spring. She trails freshman Patricija Spaka (10) for the team-lead in wins this season.

Save for Spaka, the remaining Sun Devils were all engaged against some of the top singles talents in the country, as three Trojans were listed in the ITA's recent polls.

Gallagher was defeated by No. 60 Snow Han, 6-2, 6-4, and Turkovic lost to No. 6 Eryn Cayetano, 6-4, 6-2. Morlet, whose match versus No. 29 Salma Ewing was abandoned due to the Trojans' clinching the match, was picking up steam in the second set, leading 4-3 after dropping the first, 6-4.

After falling in the front-end of the team's two-game California road trip, it's a quick turnaround for the Sun Devils, who will visit No. 14 UCLA on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. MST.

RESULTS

DOUBLES
1. #49 Eryn Cayetano/Grace Piper (USC) def. #56 Patricija Spaka/Domenika Turkovic (ASU) - 6-2
2. Naomi Cheong/Snow Han (USC) def. Sedona Gallagher/Guilia Morlet (ASU) - 7-6(7-4)  
3. Natasha Hill/Cali Jankowski (ASU) def. Sloane Morra/Salma Ewing (USC) - 6-4 

Order of finish: 1,3,2  

SINGLES
1. #29 Salma Ewing(USC) vs. Guilia Morelt (ASU)- 6-4, 3-4 SUSP. 
2. #6 Eryn Cayetano(USC) def. Domenika Turkovic (ASU) - 6-4, 6-2 
3. #60 Snow Han (USC) Sedona Gallagher (ASU) - 6-2, 6-4* 
4. Cali Jankowski (ASU) def. Grace Piper (USC) - 6-4, 6-4 
5. Naomi Cheong (USC) vs. Patricija Spaka (ASU) - 6-4, 5-4 SUSP.  
6. Mckenna Koenig (USC) def. Natasha Hill (ASU) - 6-1, 6-2 

Order of finish: 6, 2, 4, 3*