PULLMAN, Wash. – The Washington State tennis team remains undefeated as it opened its tripleheader with a 6-1 victory over Montana Friday morning at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
The day began with doubles play as the Cougars came away with two close sets to clinch the opening point. At No. 3, the WSU duo of Maria Biryukova and Nastia Vasyukhina broke serve in the final game to clinch a 6-4 win. At No. 1, Elizaveta Luzina and Lize Leenknecht rallied from a break down to win the final three games and escaped with a 6-4 win over Precious Gbadamosi and Laurence Pelchat, earning the 1-0 lead. At No. 2 Donika Bashota and Victoria Matejevic were leading rebounded from a 0-3 deficit and were leading 6-5 when the match was stopped.
In singles play, No.2 Biryukova and No. 4 Bashota led the way for the Cougars and never lost a beat. Biryukova posted a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory over Carter, while Bashota dominated Sulz, 6-2, 6-0, giving the Cougars a quick 3-0 lead.
The Cougars handed Montana its first lost of the year as No. 3 Leenknecht clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-4 effort over Pelchat, giving WSU an insurmountable 4-0 lead.
No. 1 Luzina struggled early against Gbadamosi, being out rallied and dropping the first set 4-6. Luzina found her form in the second and closed out the second set 6-2. Gbadamosi shut down the comeback late in the third, handing Luzina her first loss of the dual season, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.
At No. 5 Matejevic bested Cam Kincaid posting a convincing 6-2, 6-0 win. No. 6 Vasyukhina continues to impress, as she remains undefeated, rounding off Montana putting up a 7-5, 6-4 victory.
Washington State tennis returns to the court at 2:30 p.m. Friday to face Portland State, and again at 6 p.m., taking on Eastern Washington.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 57 Washington State 6 def. Montana 1
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
January 30, 2015
DOUBLES
No. 1 Elizaveta Luzina/Lize Leenknecht (WSU) def. Precious Gbadamosi/Laurench Pelchat (UM) 6-4
No. 2 Victoria Matejevic/Donika Bashota (WSU) vs. Sasha Carter/Catherine Orfanos (UM) 6-5 DNF
No. 2 Maria Biryukova/Nastia Vasyukhina (WSU) def. Hannah Sulz/Cam Kincaid (UM) 6-4
Order of Finish: 3,1
SINGLES
No. 1 Precious Gadamosi (UM) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-3
No. 2 Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Sasha Carter (UM) 6-2, 6-2
No. 3 Lize Leenknecht (WSU) def. Laurence Pelchat (UM) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 Donika Bashota (WSU) def. Hannah Sulz (UM) 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 Victoria Matejevic (WSU) def. Cam Kincaid (UM) 6-1, 6-0
No. 6 Nastia Vasyukhina (WSU) def. Anabel Carbo (UM) 7-5, 6-4
Order of Finish: 2,4,3,5,1,6
