No. 40 Cougars Down Saint Mary?s, 5-1

Saturday, February 27

Fresno, CA

11:00 AM

Washington State University

Saint Mary's

Photo by: Washington State Athletics

February 27, 2016 | Tennis

By: Washington State Athletics

Fresno, Calif. – The No. 40 Washington State tennis team posted a 5-1 victory over Saint Mary's, Saturday at the Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center. With the win the Cougars improve to 13-1 on the season, while Saint Mary's falls to 2-6.

The Cougars opened the day by taking the doubles point. Donika Bashota and Victoria Matejevic were first to finish, defeating Clementine Clement and Aniek Van Rossum, 6-3, at No. 2. Lize Leenknecht and Aneta Miksovska, at No. 3, defeated Kareena Manji and Vanessa Nommensen 6-4, capturing the doubles point for WSU. The Cougar duo of Maria Biryukova and Trang Huynh were even with Jana McCord and Jamie Pawid, the nation's 60th-ranked doubles team, 5-5 when play was stopped.

In singles play, No. 2 Bashota cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 sweep over Pawid. With the win, Bashota moves into the top-three all-time on the WSU season singles victories list with 31 victories. She matches her 31 wins from last season, which was a WSU freshman record, and sits tied with Elisabeth Fournier (2010) on the list.

Saint Mary's found the scoreboard at No. 5 when Clement recorded a 6-2, 7-5 win over Miksovska, cutting the Cougar advantage to 2-1.

WSU increased its lead to 4-1 with wins by Huynh and Biryukova. No. 4 Huynh bested Emma Critser posting a 6-4, 6-1 victory, while Biryukova followed close behind with a 6-4, 7-6 (8) win over McCord at No. 1 clinching the match for the Cougars.

Barbora Michalkova rallied for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Van Rossum at No. 3, while the remaining match was stopped at the No. 5 position where Leenknecht was leading Nommensen, 4-6, 6-3, 2-1.

The Cougars return to the court Friday, when they open Pac-12 Conference play at No. 29 UCLA. Match time is set for 1:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 40 Washington State 5 def. Saint Mary's 1
Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center | Fresno, Calif.
February 27, 2016

DOUBLES:
1. Biryukova/Huynh (WSU) vs. #60 McCord/Pawid (SMC) 5-5, DNF
2. Bashota/Matejevic (WSU) def. Clement/Rossum (SMC) 6-3
3. Leenknecht/Miksovska (WSU) def. Manji/Nommensen (SMC) 6-4

SINGLES:
1. Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Jana McCord (SMC) 6-4, 7-6 (8)
2. #119 Donika Bashota (WSU) def. Jamie Pawid (SMC) 6-0, 6-0
3. Barbora Michalkova (WSU) def. Aniek Van Rossum (SMC) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
4. Trang Huynh (WSU) def. Emma Critser (SMC) 6-4, 6-1
5. Clementine Clement (SMC) def. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Lize Leenknecht (WSU) vs. Vanessa Nommensen (SMC) 4-6, 6-3, 2-1, DNF