OJAI, Calif. – After struggling through first-round play Thursday, the Cougar tennis team bounced back strong Friday, winning four singles matches and reaching the quarterfinals in the championship doubles draw at the 2014 Pac-12 Championships at the Ojai Athletic Club.
In doubles play, the Cougar duo of Olga Musilovich and Maria Biryukova defeated Colorado's Julyette Steur and Ashley Tiefel 8-7, 7-3 in the tiebreaker to advance to the quarterfinals. There they met the top-ranked team of Kristie Ahn and Carol Zhao of Stanford, falling 8-5. Also in championship draw play, the Cougars top team of Elizaveta Luzina and Lize Leenknecht dropped their opening match to USC's Kaitlyn Christian and Giuliana Olmos, 8-2. The pair rallied in the back draw, defeating Utah's Callie Craig and Sarah Pham, 8-1. The win was the 26th of the season for the duo, setting the school record for single-season victories.
In the Invitational Draw, Charlotte Koning and Dajana Ognjenovic fell to Arizona State's Alexandra Osborne and Ebony Panoho, 8-1.
In singles back draw action, WSU won four of five matches. Biryukova had no troubles with Arizona State's Kassidy Jump, winning 6-2, 6-0 while Musilovich posted a 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) win over California's Kelly Chui. Leenknecht recorded a straight-set win over Colorado's Carla Manzi Tenorio, 7-5, 6-0, while Ognjenovic needed three sets before getting past Oregon's Katie Hueffner, 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6).
Luzina rallied from down four points in the third-set tiebreaker but could not overcome Arizona' s Lacey Smith, who won 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8). Luzina finishes her season with a team-leading 29 victories, fourth on WSU's single-season list.
The Cougars will now await the NCAA Championship selection, which takes place Tuesday.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Pac-12 Tennis Championships
April 25, 2014
Ojai, Calif.
SINGLES
Championship Back Draw
Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Kassidy Jump (ASU) 6-2, 6-0
Lacey Smith (Ariz.) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 7-6, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Lize Leenknecht (WSU) def. Carla Manzi Tenorio (Colo.) 7-5, 6-0
Invitational Back Draw
Olga Musilovich (WSU) def. Kelly Chui (Cal) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5)
Dajana Ognjenovic (WSU) def. Katie Hueffner (Ore.) 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
DOUBLES
Championship Draw – First Round
Maria Biryukova/Olga Musilovich (WSU) def. Julyette Steur/Ashley Tiefel (Colo.) 8-7(3)
Kaitlyn Christian/Giuliana Olmos (USC) def. Lize Leenknecht/Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 8-2
Championship Draw – Quarterfinals
No. 1 Kristie Ahn/Carol Zhao (STAN) def. Maria Biryukova/Olga Musilovich (WSU) 8-5
Championship Back Draw
Lize Leenknecht/Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) def. Sarah Pham/Callie Craig (Utah) 8-1
Invitational Draw
Alexandra Osborne/Ebony Panoho (ASU) def. Charlotte Koning/Dajana Ognjenovic (WSU) 8-2
