LAHAINA, Hawaii – The Washington State Cougar tennis team opened its 2017 spring season by capturing five of seven singles matches to highlight the first day of play at the Hawaii Spring Invitational at the Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch on the island of Maui.
 
The three-team non-scoring tournament, featuring host Hawaii, Washington State and Kansas, consists of singles and doubles matches each day. The day began with doubles play where the Cougars captured two of three matches.
 
Junior Barbora Michalkova and freshman Guzal Yusupova defeated the Kansas duo of Anastasia Rychagova and Janet Koch, 6-3. Sophomore Aneta Miksovska and freshman Lejla Colic cruised to a 6-1 victory over Hawaii's Saga Shermis and Sophia Storch. The third Cougar pair, senior Victoria Matejevic and freshman Melisa Ates, fell to Hawaii's Marina Hruba and Roxanne Resma, 6-3.
 
In singles play the final match of the day provided the most drama as Miksovska saved two match points in the third-set tiebreaker before defeating Kansas' Maria Toran Ribes, 6-4, 4-6 7-6 (9-7). Matejevic had little trouble with Hawaii's Michelle Pits, winning 6-2, 6-1, while Colic also won going away with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Storch. Ates picked up a victory with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Hawaii's Klara Pribylova and Tormey posted a 6-0, 6-2 win over Shermis.
 
Yusupova ran into the nation's 65th-ranked played and dropped a 6-2, 6-1 contest against Rychagova. Michalkova extended Hawaii's Cindy Nguyen to three sets before falling 6-0, 3-6, 6-3.
 
Play continues Friday at the Hawaii Spring Invitational with both singles and doubles matches.
 
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Hawaii Spring Invitational - Day 1
Royal Lahaina Tennis Ranch
Lahaina, Maui
Jan. 5, 2017
 
DOUBLES
Barbora Michalkova/Guzal Yusupova (WSU) def. Anastasia Rychagova/Janet Koch (KU) 6-3
Marina Hruba/Roxanne Resma (UH) def. Melissa Ates/Victoria Matejevic (WSU) 6-3
Aneta Miksovska/Lejla Colic (WSU) def. Saga Shermis/Sophia Storch (UH) 6-1
 
SINGLES
No. 65 Anastasia Rychagova (KU) def. Guzal Yusupova (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
Cindy Nguyen (UH) def. Barbora Michalkova (WSU) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
Aneta Miksovska (WSU) def. Maria Toran Ribes (KU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7)
Victoria Matejevic (WSU) def. Michelle Pits (UH) 6-2, 6-1
Lejla Colic (WSU) def. Sophia Storch (UH) 6-1, 6-0
Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Klara Pribylova (UH) 6-4, 6-4
Ege Tormey (WSU) def. Saga Shermis (UH) 6-0, 6-2