PULLMAN, Wash. – Freshman Hikaru Sato's ace on match point clinched a Washington State victory as the 35th-ranked Cougars defeated Arizona, 6-1, Sunday morning at the WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts.
 
With the win the Cougars improve to 17-5 on the season, 2-3 in Pac-12 play. Arizona falls to 9-10, 1-7.
 
With WSU leading 3-0, Sato fired an ace against Arizona's Marie Van Aelst to secure a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles, pushing the Cougar lead to 4-0 with three matches remaining.
 
After capturing the opening doubles point, the Cougars increased the lead to 3-0 with straight set wins from Yang Lee and Michaela Bayerlova. Lee defeated Gitte Heynemans 6-3, 6-4 at No. 5 while Bayerlova, ranked No. 51 nationally, had little trouble with Emma Wilson at No. 1, winning 6-2, 6-4.
 
Mylonas captured a hard-fought victory at No.2, defeating Wesbrooks 7-5, 1-6, 7-5, rallying from a 4-0 deficit in the third set. Savanna Ly-Nguyen dropped the first set to Zandberg at No. 4, but rallied for a 6-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8) win in three sets. The final match saw Thomas edge out Miksovska, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win at No. 6.
 
The day began with doubles as the Cougars took the first two matches to capture the doubles point. That is always good news for the Cougars who are 15-0 this season when winning the doubles point. The pair of Mylonas and Sato defeated the nation's 47th-ranked team of Wilson and Thomas, 6-2 in the number one spot. At No. 2, Sato and Melisa Ates clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win over Wesbrooks and Heynemans. The remaining match was stopped with Miksovska and Bayerlova leading Zandberg and Van Aelst, 4-2.
 
The Cougars are next in action Friday when they visit No. 7 Stanford Friday at 1:30 p.m.

MOMENTS OF THE MATCH

Hikaru clinches team victory with an ace. Wins 6-1 in third set as Cougs lead 4-0 with three matches remaining. #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/JLBUx8fNYq

— WSU COUGAR TENNIS (@WSUCOUGARTENNIS) March 31, 2019

Savanna gives WSU 5-0 lead with come-from-behind, three-set win at #4, winning 10-8 in super tiebreaker. #GCT pic.twitter.com/NNt6l35awu

— WSU COUGAR TENNIS (@WSUCOUGARTENNIS) March 31, 2019

 

Michaela puts the Cougs within one win of the team victory with a 6-2, 6-4 win at #1. Cougs lead 3-0. #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/90zDAcBye3

— WSU COUGAR TENNIS (@WSUCOUGARTENNIS) March 31, 2019

 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 35 Washington State 6 def. Arizona 1
March 31, 2019
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES

1. Tiffany Mylonas/Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. #47 Emma Wilson/Sophia Thomas (UA) 6-2
2. Melisa Ates/Yang Lee (WSU) def. Camila Wesbrooks/Gitte Heynemans (UA) 6-4
3. Aneta Miksovska/Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) vs. Talya Zandberg/Marie Van Aelst (UA) 4-2 DNF

Order of Finish: 1,2
 
SINGLES

1. #51 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. Emma Wilson (UA) 6-2, 6-4
2. Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) def. Camila Wesbrooks (UA) 7-5, 1-6, 7-5
3. Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Marie Van Aelst (UA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
4. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. Talya Zandberg (UA) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 1-0 (11-9)
5. Yang Lee (WSU) def. Gitte Heynemans (UA) 6-3, 6-4
6. Sophia Thomas (UA) def. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 7-5, 4-6, 6-3

Order of Finish: 5,1,3,4,2,6