Stanford Tops Cougars, 4-0, in Pac-12 Quarterfinals
 
OJAI, Calif. – For the second-straight season, WSU saw its Pac-12 Championship run end in the ends of top-seeded Stanford as the Cardinal came away with a 4-0 victory Thursday afternoon at the Weil Tennis Courts.
 
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 19-10 on the season and now await word on the NCAA postseason Monday during the NCAA Women's tennis Selection Show. Stanford improves to 20-1 on the season.
 
"Stanford is a very good team and from top to bottom we played right with them," said WSU Head Coach Lisa Hart. "In doubles, Tiffany and Hikaru had a huge win and we had a chance to take the doubles point. I'm just so proud of how we fought today. Now we will wait for the NCAA selection Show Monday."
 
Doubles started the afternoon and No. 1 duo of Tiffany Mylonas and Hikaru Sato made a huge statement with a 6-3 win over Stanford's Caroline Lampl and Kimberly Yee, ranked NO. 14 nationally. It marked the fourth-straight win for the Cougar pair, which is ranked No. 41, and also the fourth win over a top 50 team this season.
 
Stanford evened things up when No. 51 Melissa Lord and Niluka Madurawe defeated WSU's Michaela Bayerlova and Aneta Miksovska at No. 3, handing the doubles point to the winner at No. 2. There, WSU's Yang Lee and Melisa Ates held leads of 5-4 and 6-5 but could not close out. After going to a tiebreaker, the Cougars saved a pair of match points then held one of their own, but in the end Stanford's Michaela Gordon and Emily Arbuthnott, ranked No. 22, escaped with a 9-7 win in the breaker, giving Stanford the opening point.
 
In singles play, both teams battled throughout the lineup. The first to finish was No. 5 where Stanford's Janice Shin, ranked 106, posted a 6-1, 6-2 win over Miksovska. Mylonas, at No. 3, held set points in the first before Lampl, ranked No. 68, recovered for a 7-5 victory. In the second, Lampl used a late break of serve to close out the 7-5, 6-3, pushing the Stanford lead to 3-0.
 
The Cardinal closed out the match at No. 6 where Emma Higuchi, ranked No. 88, saved three sets points in the first then rode an early break of serve in the second for a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win. The remaining three matches were stopped once the team outcome was decided.
 
At No. 1, No. 39 Bayerlova was locked in the close battle with No. 22 Gordon, trailing 4-6, 3-3. At No. 2, Sato rallied from 5-1 down in the second to win six-straight games and extend the match into a third set as she was battling No. 32 Lord, 1-6, 7-5, 0-2. At No. 4, WSU freshman Savanna Ly-Nguyen was trailing No. 46 Arbuthnott, 5-7, 4-5.
 
The Cougars await word on their postseason when the NCAA Women's Tennis team selections is announced Monday.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 1 Stanford 4 def. No. 9 Washington State 0
2019 Pac-12 Tennis Championship
April 25, 2019
Weil Tennis Courts
Ojai, Calif.
 
DOUBLES

1. #41 Tiffany Mylonas//Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. #14 Caroline Lampl/Kimberly Yee (STAN) 6-3
2. #22 Emily Arbuthnott/Michaela Gordon (STAN) def. Yang Lee/Melisa Ates (WSU) 7-6 (7)
3. #51 Melissa Lord/Niluka Madurawe (STAN) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1,3,2
 
SINGLES

1. #39 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) vs. #22 Michaela Gordon (STAN) 4-6, 3-3 DNF
2. Hikaru Sato (WSU) vs. #32 Melissa Lord (STAN) 1-6, 7-5, 0-2 DNF
3. #68 Carolina Lampl (STAN) def. Tiffany Mylonas (WSU) 7-5, 6-3
4. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) vs. #46 Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) 5-7, 4-5 DNF
5. #106 Janice Shin (STAN) def. Aneta Miksovska (WSU) 6-1, 6-2
6. #88 Emma Higuchi (STAN) def. Melisa Ates (WSU) 7-6 (5), 6-3

Order of Finish: 5,3,6