Women's Tennis wsucougars.com

WSU Falls to BYU in Matchup of Cougars

PROVO, Utah (February 4, 2023) Freshman Eva Alvarez Sande and junior Fifa Kumhom provided the two victories for Washington State but it was not enough in a 5-2 loss to BYU Saturday at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts.

In doubles play to start the match, BYU (2-0) captured all three sets to take the opening point. At No. 2, BYU's Tina Li and Emmie Moore posted a 6-0 victory over Yura Nakagawa and Kumhom while on Court 1, WSU's (2-3) Maxine Murphy and Alvarez Sande captured an opening break of serve but could not capitalize at the duo of Emilee Astle and Bobo Huang, ranked No. 47 nationally, recorded a 6-3 win to clinch the doubles win. At No. 3, BYU's Jacque Dunyon and Kara Wheatley defeated Elyse Tse and Stefaniia Mikhailova 6-3.

In singles action, BYU captured the first two completed matches as Li defeated Tse 6-4, 6-3 on Court 4 and Huang came from 5-3 down in the first to win 7-5, 6-1. BYU clinched the match at No. 3 when Dunyon completed a 6-4, 7-6 win over Nakagawa, pushing the lead to 4-0 with three matches remaining.

Alvarez Sande provided the high point for WSU as the freshman rallied from 2-6, 3-5 down to post the come-from-behind 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Astle at No. 2. At No. 5, Kumhom needed three sets, jumping out early in the third-set breaker and never releasing her lead to defeat Wheatley 7-6 (4), 5-7, 1-0 (10-8). At No. 6, Moore defeated WSU's Hania Abouelsaad, 6-0, 6-2.

Washington State is next in action Friday when it travels to central California to face Fresno State. Match time is set for 1 p.m.

WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
BYU 5 def. Washington State 2
February 4, 2023
BYU Indoor Tennis Courts
Provo, Utah

DOUBLES
No. 1 #47 Emilee Astle/Bobo Huang (BYU) def. Maxine Murphy/Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) 6-2
No. 2 Tina Li/Emmie Moore (BYU) def. Yura Nakagawa/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-0
No. 3 Jacque Dunyon/Kara Wheatley (BYU) def. Elyse Tse/Stefaniia Mikhailova (WSU) 6-3
Order of Finish : 2,1,3

SINGLES
No. 1 Bobo Huang (BYU) def. Maxine Murphy (WSU) 7-5, 6-1
No. 2 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Emilee Astle (BYU) 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3
No. 3 Jacque Dunyon (BYU) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-4, 7-6 (6)
No. 4 Tina Li (BYU) BYU) def. Elyse Tse (WSU), 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Kara Wheatley (BYU) 7-6(4), 5-7, 1-0 (10-8)
No. 6 Emmie Moore (BYU) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish : 4,1,3,2,6,5