Cougars Fall to No.6 UCLA, 6-1

Friday, March 5

Pullman, WA

1:30 PM

Washington State University

#6 UCLA

Photo by: Shelly Hanks/WSU Photo Services

March 05, 2021 | Tennis

Box Score

By: Washington State Athletic Communications

PULLMAN, Wash. – Senior Melisa Ates provided the bright spot for Washington State as the No. 47 Cougars fell to No. 6 UCLA, 6-1, Friday afternoon in the Pac-12 Conference tennis opener for both teams.

With the loss, the Cougars fall to 5-5 on the season, 0-1 in Pac-12 play. UCLA improves to 7-2, 1-0.

Ates, playing at No. 6, jumped out strong, taking the first set 6-3 against Taylor Johnson. The two went back and forth in the second until a late break by Johnson forced a third set. With the overall team outcome decided, a 10-point tiebreaker was played to decide the match. Trailing 3-5, Ates ripped off six-straight point to take a 9-5 lead. After Johnson saved one match point, Ates closed it out, winning 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6).

The win saw Ates improve to 7-1 in singles play this season and gave her 96 career singles wins, fifth-most in school history.

The Bruins started the day inspired, taking all three doubles matches 6-2 for the opening point.

In singles play, Jada Hart and Abbey Forbes made it 3-0 UCLA as Hart, ranked No. 19, defeated WSU's Hikaru Sato, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2. Forbes, ranked No. 7 nationally, followed with an impressive 6-1, 6-2 win over No. 55 Michaela Bayerlova at No. 1. UCLA's Sasha Vagramov, ranked No. 113, clinched the team victory as she defeated Fifa Kumhom, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3.

At No. 5, WSU's Savanna Ly-Nguyen saw her seven-match winning streak snapped as her comeback bid fell short in a 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6) loss to UCLA's Annette Goulak at No. 5. WSU's Pang Jittakoat fell in a second-set tiebreaker to UCLA's Abi Altick, 6-0, 7-6 (4).

The Cougars are next in action Sunday when they host No. 16 USC at 11 a.m.

WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 6 UCLA 6 def. No. 47 Washington State 1
March 5, 2021
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Pullman, Wash.

DOUBLES
No. 1 Abbey Forbes/Jade Hart (UCLA) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-2
No. 2 Anette Goulak/Vivian Wolff (UCLA) def. Melisa Ates/Yang Lee (WSU) 6-2
No. 3 Abi Altick/Taylor Johnson (UCLA) def. Pang Jittakoat/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-
Order of Finish: 1,2,3

SINGLES
No. 1 #7 Abbey Forbes (UCLA) def. #55 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) 6-1, 6-02
No. 2 #19 Jada Hart (UCLA) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU) 6-1, 6-3
No. 3 #113 Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 Abi Altick (UCLA) def. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) 6-0, 7-6 (3)
No. 5 Annette Goulak (UCLA) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6)
No. 6 Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Taylor Johnson (UCLA) 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (10-6)
Order of Play: 2,1,3,5,6,4