PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State dropped only two sets in a pair of matches as it posted a 4-1 victory over Gonzaga followed by a 7-0 win over Eastern Washington Saturday at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
With the wins, the Cougars improve to 6-1 on the season.
 
Against Gonzaga, the Cougars struck quickly in doubles with wins at No. 2 and 3 to clinch the opening point. They were also leading at No. 1 when play was stopped.
 
In singles action, Melisa Ates, the nation's 91st-ranked player, cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Vlada Medvedcova to give WSU a 2-0 lead. WSU's No. 1 player, Michaela Bayerlova, ranked No. 79, also had an easy go of it, winning 6-3, 6-1 over Cate Broerman. Gonzaga captured its only win at No. 3 when Haruna Tsuruta rallied for a 7-5, 6-4 win over Savanna Ly-Nguyen. Yang Lee closed it out for WSU with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 6, clinching the match.
 
When play was stopped, WSU's Hikaru Sato and Gonzaga's Kate Ketels were locked in an epic battle. After Ketels won the first set 6-3, Sato roared back 6-0 in the second. Trailing 5-3, Sato won three-straight games to lead 6-5 before play was halted. Pang Jittakoat was leading 6-3, 5-4 over Gonzaga's Taylor Gruber at No. 5.
 
It was all Washington State in the night match versus Eastern Washington. WSU swept the doubles point with a 6-1 win at No. 2 and 6-0 win at No. 3.
 
In singles play, Bayerlova and Ly-Nguyen each posted 6-1, 6-0 victories at No. 1 and 3, respectively. Bayerlova defeated Zoey Nelson and Ly-Nguyen cruised by Louise Waite. Ates picked up her team-leading 17th win of the season with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Yasmin Mansouri at No. 4. It also was her 86th win of her career, one shy of seventh on WSU's all-time singles list. Sato picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win over Rylee Braeden at No. 2.
 
WSU freshman Carla Quadflieg won her third dual match of the season with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Stephanie Broussard at No. 6. Lee needed three sets at No. 5 to defeat Renata Gabuzyan, 7-5, 3-6, 10-7 in a super tiebreaker.
 
The Cougars are off until Feb. 20 when they host Fresno State at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse, wrapping up a four-match homestand.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Washington State 4, Gonzaga 1
February 8, 2020
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash,
 
DOUBLES

1. Melisa Ates/Hikaru Sato (WSU) vs. Valda Medvedcova/Kate Ketels (GONZ) 5-3 DNF
2. Michaela Bayerlova/Yang Lee (WSU) def. Taylor Gruber/Cate Broerman (GONZ) 6-3
3. Pang Jittakoat/Jovana Knezevic (WSU) def. Haruna Tsuruta/Maria Frampton (GONZ) 6-2

Order of Finish: 3,2
 
SINGLES

1. #79 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. Cate Broerman (GONZ) 6-3, 6-1
2. Hikaru Sato (WSU) vs. Kate Ketels (GONZ) 3-6, 6-0, 6-5 DNF
3. Haruna Tsuruta (GONZ) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. #91 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Vlada Medvedcova (GONZ) 6-1, 6-0
5. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) vs. Taylor Gruber (GONZ) 6-3, 5-4 DNF
6. Yang Lee (WSU) def. Maria Frampton (GONZ) 6-4, 6-0

Order of Finish: 4,1,3,6
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
Washington State 7, Eastern Washington 0
February 8, 2020
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash,
 
DOUBLES

1. Melisa Ates/Yang Lee (WSU) vs. Zoey Nelson/Rylee Braeden (EWU) 4-2 DNF
2. Michaela Bayerlova/Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Louise Waite/Yasmin Mansouri (EWU) 6-1
3. Pang Jittakoat/Jovana Knezevic (WSU) def. Stephanie Broussard/Marta Heinen (EWU) 6-0

Order of Finish: 2,3
 
SINGLES

1. #79 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) def. Zoey Nelson (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
2. Hikaru Sato (WSU) def. Rylee Braeden (EWU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. Louise Waite (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
4. #91 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Yasmin Mansouri (EWU) 6-4, 6-0
5. Yang Lee (WSU) def. Renata Gabuzyan (EWU) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
6. Carla Quadflieg (WSU) def. Stephanie Broussard (EWU) 6-4, 6-0

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