MANHATTAN, Kan. – The 31st-ranked Washington State Cougars captured the opening doubles point and never looked back as they defeated No. 37 Kansas State, 4-2, Thursday afternoon at the Body First Indoor Tennis Center.
 
With the win, the Cougars improve to 11-2 on the season, including a 7-2 mark when playing away from Pullman. They also avenge 4-3 losses to these Wildcats in each of the last two seasons. Kansas State falls to 7-3 following the match.
 
"I am proud of the way our team responded today," said WSU Head Coach Lisa Hart. "We will enjoy the win today then prepare for two very solid teams in Nebraska and Iowa State Saturday."
 
The day started with doubles and the Cougars captured two matches to take the opening point. At No. 1, WSU's Tiffany Mylonas and Hikaru Sato started things off with a 6-4 win over Margot Decker and Anna Turco. Aneta Miksovska and Jovana Knezevic, playing together for only the second time this season, clinched the point with a 6-4 win at No. 3 over Ioana Gheorghita and Maria Ponomareva. The final match was stopped with WSU's Yang Lee and Melisa Ates leading Karine-Marion Job and Ines Mesquita, 6-5.
 
In singles play, Kansas State tied the match at 1-1 when Job defeated Sato at No. 3, winning 6-4, 6-2. Mylonas pushed WSU back in the lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maria Linares at No. 2. It marked Mylonas' team-leading 19th singles win of the season. Sophomore Michaela Bayerlova, ranked No. 35 nationally, increased the lead to 3-1 as she rallied for a three-set win over Decker at No. 1, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
 
After Ponomareva defeated No. 106 Ates at No. 5, 6-0, 7-5, Cougar freshman Savanna Ly-Nguyen gutted out two close sets to seal the team victory, winning 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) over Turco. Miksovska was leader Gheorghita 7-5, 3-2 when their matched was stopped with the team outcome decided.
 
WSU continues its three-match Midwest road swing Saturday when it faces Nebraska and Iowa State. Both matches will be played at Lincoln, Neb.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 31 Washington State 4 def. No. 37 Kansas State 2
February 28, 2019
Body First Indoor Tennis Center
Manhattan, Kan.
 
DOUBLES
1.    Tiffany Mylonas/Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Margot Decker/Anna Turco (KSU) 6-4
2.    Yang Lee/Melisa Ates (WSU) vs. Karine-Marion Job/Ines Mesquita (KSU) 6-5 DNF
3.   Aneta Miksovska/Jovana Knezevic (WSU) def. Ioana Gheorghita/Maria Ponomareva (KSU) 6-4
      Order of Finish: 1,3
 
SINGLES
1.   #35 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. Margot Decker (KSU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
2.   Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) def. Maria Linares (KSU) 6-3, 6-2
3.   Karine-Marion Job (KSU) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
4.   Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. Anna Turco (KSU) 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
5.   Maria Ponomareva (KSU) def. #106 Melisa Ates (WSU) 6-0, 7-5
6.   Aneta Miksovska (WSU) vs. Ioana Gheorghita (KSU) 7-5, 3-2 DNF
      Order of Finish: 3,2,1,5,4