March 23, 2013
PULLMAN, Wash. -
The Washington State Cougars fought throughout the afternoon before falling to No. 6 USC, 7-0, Saturday at the Simmelink Tennis Courts in Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
The day began with doubles action. At No. 1, the Cougar pairing of Liudmila Vasilieva and Ksenia Googe fell to Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria 8-2. The Trojan duo was the No. 1 ranked doubles team in the nation coming into the match. Andjela Kankaras kept it close all match at No. 2, but could not overcome the early deficit, falling 9-7 to Giuliana Olmos and Danielle Lao, clinching the doubles point.
With the doubles point already awarded, USC's Zoe Scandalis and Valeria Pulido were leading 7-6 over Charlotte Koning and Elizaveta Luzina when the match was stopped at No. 3.
At No. 2 singles, Googe fell 6-0, 6-0 to Santamaria, the second ranked player in the nation. At No. 1, down 4-1 in the second set, Vasilieva was able to force a tiebreaker at 6-6. However, she could not carry the momentum into the tiebreaker, falling 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to No. 8 Danielle Lao. Luzina battled hard at No. 3 but was bested by No. 27 Zoe Scandalis, 6-4, 6-3.
After dropping the first set, Musilovich, at No. 4, climbed back to take a close second set in a tiebreaker. Since the team match had already been decided, the game was forced to a tiebreak for the third set. Musilovich battled tough but could not capitalize, falling to Olmos 6-4, 6-7(7-4), 1-0 (10-8). Olmos entered the match ranked 107 in the nation. Koning wrapped up play at No. 5, falling 7-5, 6-3 to Christian while Dajana Ognjenovic fell 6-3, 6-0 to Ellie Yates at No. 6.
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 11-7 on the season and 1-4 in Pac-12 play. The Trojans improve to 15-2 with a 4-0 record in the Pac-12. The Cougars continue Saturday play at 5:30 when they take on Lewis-Clark State.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 6 USC def. No. 60 Washington State, 7-0
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Attendance: 46
March 23, 2013
Singles
1. No. 8 Danielle Lao (USC) def.
Liudmila Vasilieva (WSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
2. No. 2 Sabrina Santamaria (USC) def.
Ksenia Googe (WSU) 6-0, 6-0
3. No. 27 Zoe Scandalis (USC) def.
Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 6-4, 6-3
4. No. 107 Giuliana Olmos (USC) def.
Olga Musilovich (WSU) 6-4, 6-7 (7-3), 1-0 (10-8)
5. Kaitlyn Christian (USC) def.
Charlotte Koning (WSU) 7-5, 6-3
6. Ellie Yates (USC) def.
Dajana Ognjenovic (WSU) 6-3, 6-0
Order of finish: 2,1,3,4,6,5
Doubles
1. No. 1 Christian/Santamaria (USC) def. Vasilieva/Googe (WSU) 8-2
2. Olmos/Lao (USC) def. Musilovich/Kankaras (WSU) 9-7
3. Scandalis/Pulido (USC) vs. Koning/Luzina (WSU) 7-6 DNF
Order of finish: 1,2
