TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State captured four of five singles matches to complete a come-from-behind, 4-2 victory over Washington State in the Cougars' Pac-12 Conference tennis opener Saturday afternoon at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
 
With the loss, the WSU falls to 4-7 overall, 0-1 in Pac-12 play. The Sun Devils improve to 8-3, 1-1.
 
The Cougars came out strong to open the match, winning two of three doubles to take the opening point. ASU captured the first win at No. 2 when Sedona Gallagher and Giulia Morlet had little trouble with Yang Lee and Fifa Kumhom, winning 6-1. Savanna Ly-Nguyen and Elyse Tse quickly evened the score with a 6-3 win at No. 3 over ASU's Natasha Hill and Cali Jankowski, leaving the deciding point to Court 1. There, WSU's Michaela Bayerlova and Maxine Murphy rode an early break to a 6-4 win over the nation's No. 49 duo of Patricija Spaka and Domenika Turkovic to give WSU the early 1-0 lead.
 
The Sun Devils quickly took the lead in singles as Gallagher posted a 6-0, 6-1 win over Murphy at No. 3 followed by Jankowski's 6-2, 6-2 win over Tse at No. 4.
 
Lee evened the score for the Cougars as she finished off a tidy, 6-0, 6-2 win over Hill at No. 6. ASU went back on top following a 6-2, 6-1 win by Spaka over Hania Abouelsaad at No. 5.
 
ASU clinched the match at No. 2 when Turkovic won five of the final six games to defeat Ly-Nguyen, 6-2, 7-5. With the outcome decided, the match at No. 1 was stopped as Bayerlova was tied with Morlet, 1-6, 6-3.
 
The Cougars are next in action Sunday when they travel south to Tucson to face No. 44 Arizona. Match time is set for 10:30 a.m. PT.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 17 Arizona State 4 def. Washington State 2
March 5, 2022
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Ariz.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Michaela Bayerlova/Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. #49 Patricija Spaka/Domenika Turkovic (ASU) 6-4
No. 2 Sedona Gallagher/Giulia Morlet (ASU) def. Yang Lee/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-1
No. 3 Savanna Ly-Nguyen/Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Natasha Hill/Cali Jankowski (ASU) 6-3
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
 
SINGLES
No. 1 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) vs. Giulia Morlet (ASU) 1-6, 6-3, DNF
No. 2 Domenika Turkovic (ASU) def. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) 6-2, 7-6 (2)
No. 3 Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Maxine Murphy (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 4 Cali Jankowski (WSU) def. Elyse Tse (WSU) 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Patricija Spaka (ASU) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Yang Lee (WSU) def. Natasha Hill (ASU) 6-0, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,4,6,5,2