PULLMAN, Wash. (April 4, 2026) – Redshirt-junior Yura Nakagawa's come-from-behind, three-set victory provided the winning margin as Washington State rallied for a 4-3 victory over Gonzaga in a West Coast Conference match Saturday at the WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts.
With the win, the Cougars improves to 12-6, 4-1 in WCC play, while Gonzaga falls to 8-10, 0-5.
After dropping the first set to Gonzaga's Elizabeth Tindera, Nakagawa trailed 0-4 in the second before beginning her comeback. She won six-straight games to even the match at a set each. Nakagawa earned an early break in the third to go up 3-0, then cruised to the 6-1 third set win, completing WSU's comeback as the Cougars were down 1-3 in the team match before rallying for three-straight wins.
Doubles began the day and the Cougars, suffering injuries to two players, did not field a No. 3 doubles team, giving, providing the Bulldogs with an early advantage. At No. 1 doubles, Gonzaga's Emily Robertson and Ella Nielsen cruised to a 6-0 win over Maxine Murphy and Chisato Kanemaki, giving the Bulldogs the opening point. At No. 2, WSU's Eva Alvarez Sande and Nakagawa were leading Diana Yanotovskaya 4-3, when the match was abandoned.
In singles play, Gonzaga pushed the lead to 2-0 when WSU defaulted the No 6 singles match. Murphy got the Cougs their first win, beating Gonzaga's Rose Hayes in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2. Gonzaga took a 3-1 lead when at No. 3, WSU's Martina Puvill fell to Sveva Zerpelloni in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
At No. 1, Alvarez Sande, defeated Emily Robertson, 6-4, 6-, before Kanemaki defeated Brooke Bittner at No. 5, 6-0, 6-4, setting the stage for Nakagawa's heroics.
The Cougars are in action next Saturday, April 11, when they host Seattle U.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 71 Washington State 4 def. Gonzaga 3
April 4, 2026
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Pullman, Wash.
DOUBLES
No. 1 Emily Robertson/Ella Nielsen (GONZ) def. Maxine Murphy/Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0
No. 2 Eva Alvarez Sande/Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) vs. D. Yanotovskaya/Elizabeth Tindera (GONZ) 4-3 DNF
No. 3 Karla Brown/Brooke Bittner (GONZ) won by default
Order of Finish: 3,1
SINGLES
No. 1 #93 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Emily Robertson (GONZ) 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 #100 Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. Rosse Hayes (GONZ) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 Sveva Zerpelloni (GONZ) def. Martina Puvill (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Elizabeth Tindera (GONZ) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) def. Brooke Bittner (GONZ) 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 Maddy Macneille (GONZ) won by default
Order of Finish: 6,2,3,1,5,4
With the win, the Cougars improves to 12-6, 4-1 in WCC play, while Gonzaga falls to 8-10, 0-5.
After dropping the first set to Gonzaga's Elizabeth Tindera, Nakagawa trailed 0-4 in the second before beginning her comeback. She won six-straight games to even the match at a set each. Nakagawa earned an early break in the third to go up 3-0, then cruised to the 6-1 third set win, completing WSU's comeback as the Cougars were down 1-3 in the team match before rallying for three-straight wins.
Doubles began the day and the Cougars, suffering injuries to two players, did not field a No. 3 doubles team, giving, providing the Bulldogs with an early advantage. At No. 1 doubles, Gonzaga's Emily Robertson and Ella Nielsen cruised to a 6-0 win over Maxine Murphy and Chisato Kanemaki, giving the Bulldogs the opening point. At No. 2, WSU's Eva Alvarez Sande and Nakagawa were leading Diana Yanotovskaya 4-3, when the match was abandoned.
In singles play, Gonzaga pushed the lead to 2-0 when WSU defaulted the No 6 singles match. Murphy got the Cougs their first win, beating Gonzaga's Rose Hayes in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 at No. 2. Gonzaga took a 3-1 lead when at No. 3, WSU's Martina Puvill fell to Sveva Zerpelloni in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2.
At No. 1, Alvarez Sande, defeated Emily Robertson, 6-4, 6-, before Kanemaki defeated Brooke Bittner at No. 5, 6-0, 6-4, setting the stage for Nakagawa's heroics.
The Cougars are in action next Saturday, April 11, when they host Seattle U.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 71 Washington State 4 def. Gonzaga 3
April 4, 2026
WSU Outdoor Tennis Courts
Pullman, Wash.
DOUBLES
No. 1 Emily Robertson/Ella Nielsen (GONZ) def. Maxine Murphy/Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0
No. 2 Eva Alvarez Sande/Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) vs. D. Yanotovskaya/Elizabeth Tindera (GONZ) 4-3 DNF
No. 3 Karla Brown/Brooke Bittner (GONZ) won by default
Order of Finish: 3,1
SINGLES
No. 1 #93 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Emily Robertson (GONZ) 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 #100 Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. Rosse Hayes (GONZ) 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 Sveva Zerpelloni (GONZ) def. Martina Puvill (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 4 Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Elizabeth Tindera (GONZ) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
No. 5 Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) def. Brooke Bittner (GONZ) 6-0, 6-4
No. 6 Maddy Macneille (GONZ) won by default
Order of Finish: 6,2,3,1,5,4