PULLMAN, Wash. – The 35th-ranked Washington State tennis team improved to 7-1 on the season following a convincing 5-0 victory over Fresno State Thursday at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
The day began with doubles and the Cougars captured the top two matches to earn the opening point. At No. 1, WSU's Michaela Bayerlova and Hikaru Sato posted a 6-2 victory over Shir Azran and Georgia Lawson, while Melisa Ates and Yang Lee clinched the point with a 6-4 win over Ella Husrefovic and Alessia Dario at No. 2. The match at No. 3 between WSU's Pang Jittakoat and Jovana Knezevic against the Bulldog pair of A.C. Hummel and Deniza Marcinkevica was stopped with WSU leading 4-3.
 
In singles play, Sato quickly made it a 2-0 WSU lead as she defeated Marcinkevica 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2. Ates, ranked No. 107 nationally, increased the lead to 3-0 as she completed a 6-3, 6-1 victory at No. 4 over Lawson. The win marked the 87th in Ates' career, tied for seventh on WSU's all-time singles wins list.
 
Bayerlova clinched the team victory as she rebound from a slow start, down 1-3, to capture the final 11 games for a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 1 over Azran. The win improved Bayerlova, ranked No. 63, to 8-0 in singles in 2020. WSU's Savanna Ly-Nguyen closed out the scoring as she needed three sets to defeat Hummel, 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-2).
 
Two matches were stopped while still in the first set. Jittakoat was leading Husrefovic 5-1 at No. 5 while Lee was ahead 5-0 against Carlotta Marzano at No. 6.
 
The Cougars are next in action Sunday when they head east to face Columbia in New York City. Match time is set for 10 a.m. PT.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
#35 Washington State 5, Fresno State 0
February 20, 2020
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES

1. Michaela Bayerlova/Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Shir Azran/Georgia Lawson (FSU) 6-2
2. Melisa Ates/Yang Lee (WSU) def. Ella Husrefovic/Alessia Dario (FSU) 6-4
3. Pang Jittakoat/Jovana Knezevic (WSU) vs. A.C. Hummel/Deniza Marcinkevica (FSU) 4-3 DNF

Order of Finish: 1,2
 
SINGLES

1. #63 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. Shir Azran (FSU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Deniza Marcinkevica (FSU) 6-2, 6-0
3. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. A.C. Hummel (FSU) 6-1, 4-6, 1-0 (10-2)
4. #107 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Georgia Lawson (FSU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) vs. Ella Husrefovic (FSU) 5-1 DNF
6. Yang Lee (WSU) vs. Carlotta Marzano (FSU) 5-0 DNF

Order of Finish: 2,4,1,3