TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 38 Arizona State Sun Devils captured the opening doubles point then had just enough in singles to defeat Washington State, 4-2, Friday at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
 
After dropping the opening point, WSU fought back in singles, taking the first set in three matches and then forcing a third set in another. ASU (10-8, 2-4 Pac-12) had increased its lead to 3-0 following Patricija Spaka's 6-3, 6-2 win over Martina Markov at No. 6 and Emilija Tverijonaite's 6-3, 6-4 win over Yura Nakagawa at No. 3.
 
While it appeared the Sun Devils would cruise to victory, that was not the case. WSU had won the first set at No. 1,2 and 5, while Fifa Kumhom had fought back from a set down at No. 4 to force a third. At No. 5, Hania Abouelsaad gained momentum late as she pulled away from Rachel Hanford, winning 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 to put the Cougars on the board. Kumhom quick followed as she posted a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 comeback win over Sara Svetac at No. 4, cutting ASU's lead to just one at 3-2.
 
The attention turned to the top two courts where WSU (10-7, 1-5) had won the first sets in tiebreakers, before ASU rebounded to forced third sets in both matches. At No. 2 Elyse Tse, Tse could not sustain her early results as Chelsea Fontenel rallied for a 6-7, 6-1, 6-1 win, providing ASU with the clinching point. The match at No. 1 between Eva Alvarez Sande and Giulia Morlet, ranked No. 79, was stopped all even at 7-6, 1-6, 2-2, though Alvarez Sande was about to hold serve leading 40-0 in that game.
 
Doubles opened the day and ASU quickly claimed the point. At No. 2, Morlet and Svetac had little trouble with Nakagawa and Kumhom, winning 6-1, while Marianna Argyrokastriti and Tverijonaite clinched the point with a 6-2 win at No. 3 over Abouelsaad and Markov. The No. 1 match was stopped with Alvarez Sande and Tse leading Spaka and Fontenel, 4-3.
 
The Cougars conclude their two-match road trip Saturday at No. 43 Arizona. Match time is set for 11 a.m.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 38 Arizona State 5 def. Washington State 2
April 5, 2024
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Ariz.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU) vs. Patricija Spaka/Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) 4-3 DNF
No. 2 Giulia Morlet/Sara Svetac (ASU) def. Yura Nakagawa/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-1
No. 3 Marianna Argyrokastriti/Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) def. Hanina Abouelsaad/Martina Markov (WSU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 2,3
 
SINGLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) vs. #79 Giulia Morlet (ASU) 7-6 (3), 2-6, 2-2 DNF
No. 2 Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) def. Elyse Tse (WSU) 6-7, 6-1, 6-1
No. 3 #87 Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Sara Svetac (ASU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) def. Rachel Hanford (WSU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-2
No. 6 Patricija Spaka (ASU) def. Martina Markov (WSU) 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 6,3,5,4,2