SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Donika Bashota broke the freshman single-season singles victory record in three hard-fought sets, but the win was not enough as Washington State fell to No. 52 Utah, 5-2, at Coach Mike's Tennis Academy, Friday afternoon.
Despite falling behind early and dropping the first set 5-7 to Luisa Gerstner da Rosa, Bashota rallied back and outdueled Gerstner da Rosa in three sets, going 7-5 in the second and 6-4 in the third, rounding off her 28th victory. Luidmila Vasilieva set the previous record in 2010 with 27 victories. Along with the freshman record, Bashota's 28 victories ties her with three other Cougars for fifth place on WSU's single-season win list.
The Cougars (12-9, 0-7) fell behind after dropping the doubles point. At No. 2 doubles, Maria Biryukova and Nastia Vasyukhina struggled against Sarah Richter and Jena Cheng, falling 8-1. Elizaveta Luzina and Lize Leenknecht at No. 1 doubles, were faced with the difficult challenge of squaring off against the No. 38 duo of Tereza Berkerova and Margo Pletcher. The Cougar duo posted an upset in an 8-6 effort. With the doubles point riding on the No. 3 match, Victoria Matejevic and Donika Bashota battled Elena Najera-Salas and Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa into a tiebreaker, but were outdueled 8-6, rounding off an 8-7(8-6) loss.
Washington State struggled to get anything going in singles play, dropping four-straight singles matches. Matejevic at No. 4, Luzina at No. 1, Leenknecht at No. 3 and Vasyukhina all fell to their respective opponents in straight sets. Matejevic was swept, 6-0, 6-0 by Margo, Luzina fell 6-2, 6-1 to nationally-ranked Bekerova, who sits at No. 67.
Down 3-0 in the overall, Leenknecht attempted to get WSU on the board but was bested by Cheng, falling 7-6, 6-4. Vasyukhina at No. 6, battled but fell 7-6, 6-4 to Alexia Petrovic.
WSU found some life late and ended the Utes' chance of a sweep as Biryukova put WSU on the board with a three-set victory over Richter, winning a 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 effort. Bashota added the Cougars final point to finish the match.
Washington State wraps up its Mountain Time Zone road trip in Colorado, as the Cougars battle the Colorado Buffaloes, Sunday, March 29. Play is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. PT, however, may get underway at 9 a.m. PT depending on weather.
Washington State 2 vs. No. 52 Utah 5
Salt Lake City, Utah | Coach Mike's Tennis Academy
Friday, March 27
Doubles
1 Luzina/Leenknecht (WSU) def. No. 38 Bekerova/Pletcher (UT), 8-6
2 Richter/Cheng (UT) def. Biryukova/Vasyukhina (WSU), 8-1
3 Rosa/Najera-Salas (UT) def. Bashota/Matejevic (WSU), 8-7
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
1 No. 67 Tereza Bekerova (UT) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU), 6-2, 6-1
2 Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Sarah Richter (UT), 6-3, 6-7, 7-5
3 Jena Cheng (UT) def. Lize Leenknecht (WSU), 7-6, 6-4
4 Margo Pletcher (UT) def. Victoria Matejevic (WSU), 6-0, 6-0
5 Donika Bashota (WSU) def. Luisa Gerstner da Rosa (UT), 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
6. Alexia Petrovic (UT) def. Nastia Vasyukhina (WSU), 7-6, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3, 6, 2, 5
