PULLMAN, Wash. – Freshman Pang Jittakoat earned the clinching point with a straight-set win at No. 5 as Washington State defeated BYU, 5-2, Saturday afternoon at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
With the win, WSU improves to 4-1 on the season while BYU falls to 3-1.
 
With WSU leading 3-2, Jittakoat posted her first match-clinching win of the season as she lead wire-to-wire in a 6-3, 6-4 win over BYU's Helen Jaio. The win improved Jittakoat to 4-0 in dual matches this season.
 
The day began with doubles and BYU jumped out to big leads on the first two courts. At No. 2, BYU's Polina Malykh and Emilee Astle won the final three games to secure a 6-2 win over Michaela Bayerlova and Yang Lee for the early advantage. WSU evened it at one match each as Jittakoat and Jovana Knezevic posted a 6-2 win at No. 3. At No. 1, BYU's Kate Cusick and Leah Heimuli raced to a 5-1 lead then need a third match point to secure a 6-3 win over Hikaru Sato and Melisa Ates, giving BYU the opening point.
 
In singles play, Washington State quickly evened the match as Bayerlova cruised past Cusick at No. 1, 6-1, 6-0. The win pushed Bayerlova to 5-0 on the young season. Ates followed closely behind with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Almeida at No. 4, giving WSU a 2-1 lead.
 
BYU tied the match at 2-2 when Malykh rallied for a 6-4, 6-2 win over Savanna Ly-Nguyen at No. 3. WSU recaptured the lead for good at 3-2 when Sato pulled out a second-set tiebreaker to defeat Heimuli, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) at No. 2. After Jittakoat's victory, Lee closed out the match with a 3-6, 6-3 1-0 (10-1) win at No. 6 for the final margin of victory.
 
Washington State returns to the court Saturday when they host a pair of matches, first against Gonzaga at Noon followed by Eastern Washington at 6 p.m. Both matches are scheduled for the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Washington State 5, BYU 2
February 1, 2020
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES

1. Kate Cusick/Leah Heimuli (BYU) def. Melisa Ates/Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-3
2. Polina Malykh/Emilee Astle (BYU) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Yang Lee (WSU) 6-2
3. Pang Jittakoat/Jovana Knezevic (WSU) def. Madelina Almeida/Helen Jaio (BYU) 6-2

Order of Finish: 2,3,1
 
SINGLES

1. Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) DEF. Kate Cusick (BYU) 6-1, 6-0
2. Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Leah Heimuli (WSU) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
3. Polina Malykh (BYU) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
4. #103 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Madeline Almeida (BYU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) def. Helen Jaio (BYU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Yang Lee (WSU) def. Emilee Astle (BYU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-1)

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