PULLMAN, Wash. – Redshirt-sophomore Hania Abouelsaad's come-from-behind, three-set victory at No. 5 singles provided the clinching win in Washington State's 5-2 victory over Saint Mary's Saturday morning at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse. With the win, the Cougars' winning streak reaches three matches as they improve to 7-4. Saint Mary's falls to 2-4.
 
Trailing 1-0 after the opening doubles point, the Cougars reeled-off four-straight singles victories to secure the win, the fourth coming on the racquet of Abouelsaad. After losing the first set 6-3 to Tian Yu Dong, Abouelsaad took control of the match, winning the second 6-0 and grabbing an early break of serve in the third. Dong got the break back but Abouelsaad closed out the match with a service return winner, giving the Cougars a 4-2 lead with one match remaining.
 
The momentum swung back and forth in doubles play as at No. 1, the Gaels duo of Jordan Harris and Lene Mari Hovda rode a break of serve at 2-2 to win the final four games over Maxine Murphy and Yura Nakagawa, winning 6-2. On Court 2, WSU's Eva Alvarez Sande and Elyse Tse trailed 2-3 before winning the final four games en route to a 6-3 win over Stefanie Silva and Dong, pushing the deciding match to Court 3. There, Abouelsaad and Tiffany Phout won  three-straight games to cut the lead to 4-5, but drew no closer as Olivia Rook and Madison Weekly served out the match, winning 6-4 to give the Gaels the opening point.
 
In single action, the Cougars received a scare at No. 1 when Murphy was forced to retire against Harris. The WSU sophomore was leading 3-2 in the first set when she suffered the injury that prevented her from continuing.
 
Trailing 2-0, the middle of the Cougar lineup flexed its muscle. At No. 3, Nakagawa came through with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Rook to put WSU on the scoreboard. Tse followed closely by finishing off a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 4 over Silva, evening the match at 2-2.
 
Alvarez Sande gave WSU the lead for good with a hard-fought, 6-4, 7-6 (3) victory, pushing the Cougar lead to 3-2. Alvarez Sande rallied from 2-5 down in the second to earn the win, setting the stage for Abouelsaad's heroics.
 
The final match saw WSU sophomore Stefaniia Mikhailova complete a 6-2, 7-5 win over Weekley at No. 6 for the final margin of victory.
 
The Cougars are next in action Friday when they open Pac-12 Conference play by hosting No. 24 USC at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
#69 Washington State 5 def. Saint Mary's 2
February 25, 2023
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Jordan Harris/Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) def. Maxine Murphy/Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-2
No. 2 Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Stefanie Silva/Tian Yu Dong (SMC) 6-3
No. 3 Olivia Rook/Madison Weekley (SMC) def. Hania Abouelsaad/Tiffany Phout (WSU) 6-4
Order of Finish: 1,2,3

SINGLES
No. 1 Jordan Harris (SMC) def. Maxine Murphy (WSU) 2-3, ret.
No. 2 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) 6-4, 7-6 (3)
No. 3 Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Olivia Rook (SMC) 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Stefanie Silva (SMC) 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) def. Tian Yu Dong (SMC) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 Stefaniia Mikhailova (WSU) def. Madison Weekley (SMC) 6-2, 7-5
Order of Finish: 1,3,4,2,5,6