SALT LAKE CITY – Utah captured four singles match to escape with a 4-3 victory over Washington State Sunday in a Pac-12 Conference tennis match at the Eccles Tennis Center.
 
With the loss the Cougars fall to 9-8, 0-3 in Pac-12 play while Utah improves to 6-4 overall, 2-2 in conference action.
 
For the second-straight match it came down to a final third set. This time it was at No. 5 where Cougar freshman Melisa Ates and Utah's Taylor Calton battled in the decisive match. Calton easily captured the first set 6-1 before Ates responded with a 6-3 second-set, forcing the third. After going back and forth, Ates moved ahead 5-4 but could not hold on as Calton broke back for a 7-5 victory, clinching the team win.
 
In doubles play the Cougars captured the top two matches to earn the opening point. At No. 3, the Utah duo of Calton and Whitney Turley opened with a 6-3 win over Guzal Yusupova and Ege Tomey. WSU's No. 1 pair of Aneta Miksovska and Victoria Matejevic rallied from a 3-0 deficit to post a 6-4 victory over Margo Pletcher and Brianna Turley, leaving the doubles point to be decided at No. 2. There, the Cougar pair of Barbora Michalkova and Melisa Ates jumped out early and held on for a 6-4 win over Luisa Gerstner Da Ro and Alexia Petrovic. It was the first doubles point for the Cougars in its last five matches.
 
Utah quickly tied the match in singles as Pletcher defeated Michalkova, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 1. Yusupova gave the Cougars a 2-1 lead as she completed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Brianna Turley. The win extended Yusupova's winning streak to five.
 
At No. 6 Tomey dropped a 6-1, 6-2 decision to Whitney Turley while Matejevic won her second-straight match this weekend with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jena Cheng at No. 4. The Utes tied the match at 3-3 when Petrovic fought off a comeback from Miksovska at No. 4 to win 6-2, 6-4, setting the stage for the No. 5 singles match.
 
The Cougars return to Pullman Friday when they host USC at1:30 p.m. That match is scheduled for the WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Utah 4 def. Washington State 3
March 26, 2017
Eccles Tennis Center
Salt Lake City, Utah
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Aneta Miksovska/Victoria Matejevic (WSU) def. Margo Pletcher/Brianna Turley (UU) 6-4
No. 2 Barbora Michalkova/Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Luisa Gerstner Da Ro/Alexia Petrovic (UU) 6-4
No. 3 Taylor Calton/Whitney Turley (UU) def. Guzal Yusupova/Ege Tomey (WSU) 6-3.
Order of Finish: 3,1,2
 
SINGLES
No. 1 Margo Pletcher (UU) def. Barbora Michalkova (WSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 2 Guzal Yusupova (WSU) def. Brianna Turley (UU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 3 Alexia Petrovic (UU) def. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 Victoria Matejevic (WSU) def. Jena Cheng (UU) 6-4, 6-3
No. 5 Taylor Calton (UU) def. Melisa Ates (WSU) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
No. 6 Whitney Turley (UU) vs. Ege Tomey (WSU) 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1,2,6,4,3,5