STANFORD, Calif. – Washington State Tennis ran into the defending national champions and despite a late WSU rally, Stanford looked every bit the part, defeating the Cougars 4-0 in the second round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend, Sunday at the Taube Family Tennis Center.
 
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 3-1 on the season while Stanford improves to 2-0.
 
Starting with doubles, Stanford came out quick at No. 1 as the nation's No. 33-ranked duo of Emily Arbuthnott and Angelica Blake defeated Melisa Ates and Hikaru Sato, 6-1. WSU evened the score with a come-from-behind win at No. 2, when Michaela Bayerlova and Yang Lee posted a 7-5 win, leaving the deciding point to No. 3. There, The Cougars rallied from 5-2 down to close within a game, but despite two game points, could not hold as Stanford's Sara Choy and Emma Higuchi defeated Pang Jittakoat and Jovana Knezevic, 6-4 for the opening point.
 
In singles play, Stanford's Blake made it 2-0 as she defeated Savanna Ly-Nguyen, 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3. Choy extended that lead as she outplayed Ates, ranked No. 103, 6-0, 6-2 at No. 5. Stanford clinched the win with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 when Arbuthnott defeated Sato. The cougar sophomore trailed 4-0 in the first before pushing Stanford's senior.
 
The three remaining matches were stopped with WSU leading in the second set in all three. After trailing 4-0, Bayerlova at No. 1 closed the gap on Gordon, ranked No. 7, dropping the first set 6-4 but was leading 4-3 in the second. Jittakoat was holding a set point in the second. She had dropped the first 6-1 and was up 5-3 at deuce when play was stopped. Lee also dropped the first, 6-2, before rallying to a 5-3 lead in the second.
 
WSU returns to Pullman to host BYU, Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse. That match begins a four-match homestand for Washington State.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 1 Stanford 4 def. Washington State 0
January 26, 2020
Taube Family Tennis Center
Stanford, Calif.
 
DOUBLES

1. #33 Emily Arbuthnott/Angelica Blake (STAN) def. Melisa Ates/Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-1
2. Michaela Bayerlova/Yang Lee (WSU) def. Michaela Gordon/Janice Shin (STAN) 7-5
3. Sara Choy/Emma Higuchi (STAN) def. Pang Jittakoat/Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-4

Order of Finish: 1,2,3
 
SINGLES

1. Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) vs. #7 Michaela Gordon (STAN), 4-6, 4-3 DNF
2. Emily Arbuthnott (STAN) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Angelica Blake (STAN) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) vs. Janice Shin (STAN) 1-6, 503 DNF
5. Sara Choy (STAN) def. #103 Melisa Ates (WSU) 6-2, 6-0
6. Yang Lee (WSU) vs. Emma Higuchi (STAN) 2-6, 5-3 DNF

Order of Finish: 3,5,2