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Cougars Fall to No. 27 USC at Pac-12 Championship

The No. 27 USC Trojans captured three singles matches to complete a 4-0 victory over Washington State Wednesday on the Weil Courts at the Ojai Valley Tennis Club.

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OJAI, Calif. – The No. 27 USC Trojans captured three singles matches to complete a 4-0 victory over Washington State Wednesday on the Weil Courts at the Ojai Valley Tennis Club.
 
With the loss, the Cougars conclude their season with a 10-16 record. The Trojans, seeded No. 6, improve to 12-9 and next face No. 3 seed Arizona State Thursday.
 
Doubles play began the day as the Cougars received a quick start at No. 2, where Barbora Michalkova and Melisa Ates led 5-2 over Gabby Smith and Zoe Katz, the No. 48-ranked team in the nation. The match was halted after USC captured two matches for the opening point. At No. 3 USC's Madison Westby and Angela Kulikov defeated Guzal Yusupova and Ege Tomey, 6-2, before Jessica Failla and Rianna Valdez, ranked No. 41, clinched the doubles point with a 6-1 win over WSU's Aneta Miksovska and Victoria Matejevic at No. 1.
 
In singles play, the Trojans extended the lead to 2-0 as Sydney Van Alphen defeated Tomey, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6. The Cougars had chances at No. 3 and 4, where Miksovska was leading Katz 5-3 and Matejevic was up 5-3 on Westby. Neither could close out the set as the Trojans won the first set in all six matches.
 
The lead grew to 3-0 when Smith, the nation's 28th-ranked player, completed a 6-2, 6-3 win over Michalkova at No. 2, moving USC to within one point of victory. At No. 4, Matejevic, after a fast start, could not hold on as she fell to Westby, 7-5, 6-0, clinching the match for the Trojans.
 
The remaining three matches on court were halted. At No. 1 Yusupova was coming back against No. 37 Failla, dropping the first set 6-2 but leading 4-2 in the second. After a close first set at No. 3, Miksovska was trailing 7-5, 3-0 to Katz, who is ranked No. 122. At No. 5, Ates was mounting a comeback, having saved two match points against Kulikov, trailing 6-1, 5-5.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 27 USC 4 def. Washington State 0
April 26, 2017
Weil Courts
Ojai Valley Tennis Club
 
DOUBLES
  1. No. 41 Jessica Failla/Rianna Valdez (USC) def. Aneta Miksovska/Victoria Matejevic (WSU) 6-1
  2. Barbora Michalkova/Melisa Ates (WSU) vs. No. 48 Gabby Smith/Zoe Katz (USC) 5-2 DNF
  3. Madison Westby/Angela Kulikov (WSU) def. Guzal Yusupova/Ege Tomey (WSU) 6-2
Order or Finish: 3,1
 
SINGLES
  1. Guzal Yusupova (WSU) vs. No. 37 Jessica Failla (USC) 2-6, 4-2   DNF
  2. No. 28 Gabby Smith (USC) def. Barbora Michalkova (WSU) 6-2, 6-3
  3. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) vs. No. 122 Zoe Katz (USC) 5-7, 0-3   DNF
  4. Madison Westby (USC) def. Victoria Matejevic (WSU) 7-5, 6-0
  5. Melisa Ates (WSU) vs. Angela Kulikov (USC) 1-6, 5-5   DNF
  6. Sydney Van Alphen (USC) def. Ege Tomey (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6,2,4