March 2, 2013

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State captured five of six singles matches en route to a 5-2 victory over Boise State Saturday afternoon at the WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts. With the win, the Cougars improve to 10-2 on the season, the best start to a season since 1986 when the team started 10-1.

The day began with doubles action where at No. 2, the WSU pairing of Ksenia Googe and Liudmila Vasilieva and Elizaveta Luzina drew the Cougars even as they defeated Marlena Pietzuch and Manuela Pietzuch, 8-6.

With the doubles score even at 1-1, the No. 3 match decided the doubles point. Down 6-4, Andjela Kankaras and Charlotte Koning fought back to bring the score 7-6 in favor of Boise State. The Cougars could not overcome the deficit though, falling 8-6 to Teal Vosburgh and Megan LaLone.

In singles action, the Cougars came out quickly after relinquishing the doubles point. Luzina struck first at No. 4, defeating Basil 6-0, 6-3. Koning won in similar fashion at No. 6, breezing by Sammie Watson with a 6-3, 6-1 victory to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead.

At No. 5, Musilovich was down 4-2 in the first set, but overcame the deficit and took the set 6-4. The Cougar junior carried that momentum through the second set, defeating LaLone 6-4, 6-3 to give WSU a 3-1 lead. Musilovich extended her dual match win streak to 11 with the win. Vasilieva ensured victory for the Cougars at No. 1 after being pushed to the limit. After dropping the first set, Vasilieva answered back by defeating Vo 6-7 (7-9), 6-3, 6-2.

At No. 3, Kankaras fell to Teal Vosburgh 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 while Googe finished off play for the Cougars at No. 2. Down 4-1 early, Googe came back to take the first set 6-4. After dropping the second set, the senior fought back and won the match, defeating Marlena Pietzuch 6-4, 2-6, 6-3. With the win Googe moved into sole position of fourth place on WSU's all-time wins list with 88.

The Cougars are next in action March 8 when they open Pac-12 Conference play at the California Bears in Berkeley. It will be the start of a four-game road trip for Washington State.

WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS

No. 61 Washington State def. Boise State 5-2
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Attendance: 74
March 2, 2013

Doubles

1. Vasilieva/Luzina (WSU) def. Pietzuch/Pietzuch (BSU) 8-6
2. Vo/Basil (BSU) def. Musilovich/Googe (WSU) 8-3
3. Vosburgh/LaLone (BSU) def. Koning/Kankaras (WSU) 8-6
Order of Finish: 2,1,3

Singles
1. Liudmila Vasilieva (WSU) def. Sandy Vo (BSU) 6-7(7-9), 6-3, 6-2
2. Ksenia Googe (WSU) def. Marlena Pietzuch (BSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. Teal Vosburgh (BSU) def. Andjela Kankaras (WSU) 6-4, 4-6, 4-6
4. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) def. Morgan Basil (BSU) 6-0, 6-3
5. Olga Musilovich (WSU) def. Megan LaLone (BSU) 6-4, 6-3
6. Charlotte Koning (WSU) def. Sammie Watson (BSU) 6-3, 6-1
Order of Finish: 4,6,5,1,3,2