Jan. 26, 2013

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State just could not get anything going in its favor Saturday morning as it fell to No. 38 Arkansas, 5-2, at the ITA Team Indoor Championship at the Combe Tennis Center.

The Cougars (3-2) struggled in doubles action, relinquishing the doubles point after two matches to Arkansas (1-1). Andjela Kankaras and Ksenia Googe fell to Claudine Paulson and Seguo Jonker 8-3 at No. 1 doubles. Charlotte Koning and Olga Musilovich had difficulties at No. 3, falling to Brittany Huxley and Yang Pang 8-1.

With the doubles point already awarded to Arkansas, Liudmila Vasilieva and Elizaveta Luzina ended their match trailing 7-2 to Kimberley-Ann Surin and Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez.

In singles action, Musilovich evened the match at 1-1 as she handled Brittany Huxley 6-1, 6-1 at No. 5 singles. Luzina had trouble getting started at No. 4 with Sarah McLean jumping to an early lead and pulled away for a 6-0, 6-2 win. Koning could not overcome the large deficit of the first set, falling 6-0, 7-5 to Belmar Hernandez at No. 6. At No. 2, Kankaras was neck and neck with Paulson but was unable to close out the match, falling 7-5, 7-6 (4) to clinch the win for Arkansas.

With the team victory decided, Vasilieva fell to Pang 6-4, 6-3 at No. 1 singles while Googe gave WSU its other singles victory after winning a close match against Surin at No. 3, defeating her 7-5, 7-5.

The Cougars are next in action Feb. 8th when they host Sacramento State at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY TENNIS

No. 38 Arkansas def. No. 32 Washington State 5-2

 January 26, 2013
Combe Tennis Center
Evanston, Ill.

Doubles

1.Paulson/Jonker (ARK) def. Kankaras/Googe (WSU) 8-3
2.Surin/Belmar Hernandez (ARK) vs. Vasilieva/Luzina (WSU) 7-2 DNF
3.Pang/Huxley (ARK) def. Koning/Musilovich (WSU) 8-1
Order of Finish: 3, 1*

Singles
1.Yang Pang (ARK) def. Liudmila Vasilieva (WSU) 6-4, 6-3
2.Claudine Paulson (ARK) def. Andjela Kankaras (WSU) 7-5, 7-6 (4)
3.Ksenia Googe (WSU) def. Kimberley-Ann Surin (ARK) 7-5, 7-5
4.Sarah McLean (ARK) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
5.Olga Musilovich (WSU) def. Brittany Huxley (ARK) 6-1, 6-1
6.Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez (ARK) def. Charlotte Koning (WSU) 6-0, 7-5
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 6, 2*, 1, 3