EUGENE, Ore. – In a match that went back-and-forth throughout all nine matches, Washington State tennis' comeback fell short in a tiebreaker as No. 66 Oregon held off the Cougars for a 4-3 victory in a Pac-12 match Sunday at the Student Tennis Center. With the loss, The Cougars fall to 10-6 on the season, 1-4 in conference play. Oregon improves to 10-8, 1-5.
 
Doubles play began the day and WSU grabbed the early advantage as the No. 2 team of Yura Nakagawa and Fifa Kumhom cruised to a 6-1 win over Candela Aparisi and Uxia Martinez Moral. At No. 3, Oregon's Nina Geissler and Karin Young jumped out to a 4-0 lead over Hania Abouelsaad and Martina Markov, before holding on for a 6-4 win, setting the stage for No. 1. There, WSU's Eva Alvarez Sande and Elyse Tse grabbed an early break to lead 3-0. Oregon's duo of Sophie Luescher and Jo-Yee Chan won the next four games and served it out for a 6-4 victory, clinching the all-important opening point.
 
In singles action, Martinez Moral extended the Duck lead to 2-0 as she completed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Kumhom at No. 4. Nakagawa put the Cougars on the board as she pulled away in the second set for a 6-4, 6-2 win over Chan at No. 3.
 
WSU evened the match at 2-2 as Tse used service breaks in each set as she defeated Geissler 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2. At No. 6, Aparisi rallied from a set down to complete a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 comeback and give Oregon a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining.
 
The match drew even again as Alvarez Sande needed three sets to defeat Luescher 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 at No. 1, pushing the deciding match to No. 5 where Abouelsaad and Young were locked in three-set battle. After exchanging the lead throughout the third set, it came down a tiebreak where Young escaped with a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory to give Oregon the 4-3 win.
 
WSU is next in action Friday when they head to Tempe to take on Arizona State. Match time is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
#66 Oregon 4 def. Washington State 3
March 31, 2024
Student Tennis Center
Eugene, Ore.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Sophie Luescher/Jo-Yee Chan (UO) def. Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU) 6-4
No. 2 Yura Nakagawa/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Candela Aparisi/Uxia Martinez Moral (UO) 6-1
No. 3 Nina Geissler/Karin Young (UO) def. Hania Abouelsaad/Martina Markov (WSU) 6-4
Order of Finish: 2,3,1
 
SINGLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Sophie Luescher (UO) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
No. 2 Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Nina Geissler (UO) 6-3, 6-3
No. 3 Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Jo-Yee Chan (UO) 7-5, 6-2
No. 4 Uxia Martinez Moral (UO) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 Karin Young (UO) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)
No. 6 Candela Aparisi (UO) def. Martina Markov (WSU) 4-6, 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish:  3,4,2,6,1,5