PULLMAN, Wash. – Looking for its second-straight upset victory, the No. 42 Washington State tennis team fell just short against No. 13 USC as the Trojans won 4-1 Sunday morning at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
With the loss the Cougars fall to 18-8 on the season, 3-6 in Pac-12 play. USC improved to 17-5, 7-2.
 
Play began with doubles and for the second-straight match, all three doubles were highly contested. At No. 2, the Cougar duo of Melisa Ates and Yang Lee held a 4-2 lead over Becca Weissmann and Danielle Wilson but could not take advantage as USC rallied for four-straight games to take the set. At No. 3, WSU's Michaela Bayerlova and Aneta Miksovska fought back from a 3-5 deficit to tie the match at 5 against Constance Branstine and Estella Jaeger. After saving five set points, the sixth was not to come as USC captured the doubles point with a 7-5 win. The No. 1 match between WSU's Hikaru Sato and Tiffany Mylonas against Rianna Valdez and Angela Kulikov, ranked No. 5 nationally, was stopped with USC leading 2-1 in the tiebreaker.
 
In singles play, Bayerlova, ranked No. 52, started fast and never looked back as she cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over No. 46 Salma Ewing. The win was Bayerlova's third straight over a ranked opponent and moved her to 22-5 on the season.
 
After capturing the first set at No. 2, WSU's Sato was in a battle against Kulikov, the nation's 95th-ranked player. Kulikov outlasted Sato, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 to push the Trojan lead to 2-1. USC increased its lead to 3-1 when Ana Neffa rallied from a set down to defeat Mylonas, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 in a match that lasted nearly three hours.
 
The deciding match came at No. 4 where Willson outlasted Lee in a marathon match, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. The two remaining matches were stopped once the team victory had been decided. AT No. 5, Miksovska was leading Branstine, 6-2, 4-1, and Ates was leading Sydney Van Alphen 4-1 at No. 6
 
The Cougars conclude their 2019 regular season schedule Saturday when they host No. 15 Washington at 11:45. Prior to the match, seniors Miksovska and Mylonas will be recognized for their contributions to Cougar Tennis.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 13 USC 4 def. #42 Washington State 1
April 14, 2019
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES

1. Hikaru Sato/Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) vs. #10 Rianna Valdez/Angela Kulikov (USC) 6-6 (1-2) DNF
2. Becca Weissmann/Danielle Willson (USC) def. Yang Lee/Melisa Ates (WSU) 6-4
3. Constance Branstine/Estella Jaeger (USC) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 7-6

Order of Finish: 2,3
 
SINGLES

1. #52 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. #46 Salma Ewing (USC) 6-1, 6-3
2. #95 Angela Kulikov (USC) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-0
3. Ana Neffa (USC) def. Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
4. Danielle Willson (USC) def. Yang Lee (WSU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
5. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) vs. Constance Branstine (USC) 6-2, 4-1 DNF
6. Melisa Ates (WSU) vs. Sydney Van Alphen (USC) 4-1 DNF

Order of Finish: 1,2,3,4