TUCSON, Ariz. – For the third-straight Pac-12 match, Washington State Tennis drew close but could not find the clinching match as the Cougars dropped a 5-2 decision at No. 43 Arizona Saturday at the LaNelle Robson Tennis Center.
 
Trailing 3-2, WSU (10-8, 1-6 Pac-12) needed both remaining for victory. At No. 2, Elyse Tse was down 2-0 in the third set to Kayla Wilkins while Fifa Kumhom at No. 4 trailing 5-1 in the third against Midori Castillo-Meza. Kumhom reeled off five-straight games to take a 6-5 lead at the same time Tse held a 5-4 lead after winning five of the next seven games.
 
The Cougars drew no closer as Kumhom went to a tiebreaker in the third set before falling 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4) while Tse could not hold the lead and dropped a 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 contest, giving Arizona the final margin of victory.
 
The day began with doubles and the Cougars jumped out to the 1-0 lead with wins at the top two spots. It was Arizona, however, that struck first as Teja Tirunelveli and Kayla Wilkins posted a 6-1 win over Hannia Abouelsaad and Tiffany Phout at No. 3. At No. 2, WSU's Yura Nakagawa and Kumhom cruised to a 6-1 victory over Belen Nevenhoven and Martyna Ostrzygalo, sending the deciding match to Court 1. WSU's No. 1 duo of Eva Alvarez Sande and Tse used a late break of serve to defeat Reece Carter and Brandelyn Fulgenzi, 6-4, securing the opening point.
 
In singles action, the Wildcats took a 2-1 lead as Tanvi Narendran defeated Phout 6-0, 6-1 at No. 6 while Fulgenzi got past Abouelsaad, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5.
 
WSU evened the match at 2-2 when Nakagawa defeated Ostrzygalo after the Wildcat was forced to retire in the second set. At the time of retirement, Nakagawa was leading 6-3, 3-0. Arizona regained the lead at 3-2 when Carter, ranked No. 111, completed a three-set comeback, winning 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 over Alvarez Sande at No. 1,
 
The Cougar begin a three-match homestand to conclude Pac-12 play Friday when they host Stanford at the WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts. Match time is set for Noon.
 
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 43 Arizona 5 def. Washington State 2
April 6, 2024
LaNelle Robson Tennis Center
Tucson, Ariz.
 
DOUBLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Reece Carter/Brandelyn Fulgenzi (UA) 6-4
No. 2 Yura Nakagawa/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Belen Nevenhoven/Martyna Ostrzygalo (UA) 6-1
No. 3 Teja Tirunelveli/Kayla Wilkins (UA) def. Hania Abouelsaad/Tiffany Phout (WSU) 6-1
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
 
SINGLES
No.1 #111 Reece Carter (UA) def. Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 Kayla Wilkins (UA) def. Elyse Tse (WSU) 4-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5
No. 3 Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Martyna Ostrzygalo (UA) 6-3, 3-0 Ret.
No. 4 Midori Castillo-Meza (UA) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
No. 5 Brandelyn Fulgenzi (UA) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 6 Tanvi Narendran (UA) def. Tiffany Phout (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6,3,5,1,4,2