Washington State University Athletics
Tuesday, March 3
Pullman, Wash.
1 p.m.
Washington State University
3
vs
4
No. 16 Pepperdine
Photo by: Dean Hare/WSU Photo Services
Cougars Upset Bid Comes Up Short Against No. 16 Pepperdine
March 03, 2026 | Tennis
PULLMAN, Wash. (March 3, 2026) – Seniors Eva Alvarez Sande and Maxine Murphy each posted wins over Top 50 players, but No. 16 Pepperdine proved too strong in a 4-3 win over No. 68 Washington State in the West Coast Conference opener Tuesday afternoon at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 7-5 while Pepperdine improves to 5-3.
The top of the Cougars lineup was the highlight as both players posted their highest-ranked wins of the year. Murphy, at No. 2, was broken on her first serve of the match and trailed 2-0 to No. 10 Anastasiia Grechkina before mounting the comeback. She took six of the next seven games to claim the first set as both players thundered away from the baseline. The second set was close throughout until Murphy's late break of serve clinched the match, giving WSU it's first win of the day. The victory was the highest-ranked win for a Cougar player since Michaela Bayerlova defeated No. 9 Chloe Beck of Duke at the NCAA Championships, May 24, 2022.
At No. 1, Alvarez Sande used her full arsenal of shots throughout her victory over Ziva Falker, who is ranked nationally at No. 43. The two went back-and-forth throughout the two-hour match, with Alvarez capturing an early break of serve in the third set that she never relinquished in posting a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win, giving WSU wins at the top two spots.
Doubles began the day and Pepperdine captured the first two matches to take the opening point. At No. 1, the Waves' duo of Falkner and Sonja Zhiyenbayeva, ranked No. 26 nationally, were first off after a 6-0 win over Murphy and Chisato Kanemaki. Pepperdine clinched the doubles point at No. 2 where Chantal Sauvant and Grechkina got past Alvarez Sande and Ava-Monet Sycamore 6-2. The match at No. 3 was stopped once the point was decided, with WSU's Yura Nakagawa and Zali Morris leading Alexia Harmon and Shihomi Leong, 4-3.
In singles play, Pepperdine increased its lead to 2-0 when Zhiyenbayeva, ranked No. 122 nationally, completed a 6-0, 6-3 win over Puvill at No. 3.
Pepperdine increased its lead to 3-1 as Sauvant defeated Nakagawa, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4, then clinched the match at No. 5 when Harmon posted 6-0, 6-1 win over Kanemaki. With the team outcome decided, Pepperdine defaulted the match at No. 6 singles with the Waves' Leong lead Sycamore, 6-1.
The Cougars are next in action Friday, March 13, when they travel to Eugene to face Oregon.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 16 Pepperdine 4 def. No. 68 Washington State 3
March 3, 2026
Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
DOUBLES
No. 1 #26 Ziva Falkner/Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (Pepp.) def. Maxine Murphy/Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0
No. 2 Chantal Sauvant/Anastasiia Grechkina (Pepp.) def. Eva Alvarez Sande/Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) 6-2
No. 3 Yura Nakagawa/Zali Morris (WSU) vs. Alexia Harmon/Shihomi Leong (Pepp.) 4-3 DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2
SINGLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. #43 Ziva Falkner (Pepp.) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
No. 2 Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. #10 Anastasiia Grechkina (Pepp.) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 #122 Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (Pepp.) def. Martina Puvill (WSU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 4 Chantal Sauvant (Pepp.) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Alexia Harmon (Pepp.) def. Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) def. Shihomi Leong (Pepp.) 1-6, def.
Order of Finish: 3,2,4,1,5,6
With the loss, the Cougars fall to 7-5 while Pepperdine improves to 5-3.
The top of the Cougars lineup was the highlight as both players posted their highest-ranked wins of the year. Murphy, at No. 2, was broken on her first serve of the match and trailed 2-0 to No. 10 Anastasiia Grechkina before mounting the comeback. She took six of the next seven games to claim the first set as both players thundered away from the baseline. The second set was close throughout until Murphy's late break of serve clinched the match, giving WSU it's first win of the day. The victory was the highest-ranked win for a Cougar player since Michaela Bayerlova defeated No. 9 Chloe Beck of Duke at the NCAA Championships, May 24, 2022.
At No. 1, Alvarez Sande used her full arsenal of shots throughout her victory over Ziva Falker, who is ranked nationally at No. 43. The two went back-and-forth throughout the two-hour match, with Alvarez capturing an early break of serve in the third set that she never relinquished in posting a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win, giving WSU wins at the top two spots.
Doubles began the day and Pepperdine captured the first two matches to take the opening point. At No. 1, the Waves' duo of Falkner and Sonja Zhiyenbayeva, ranked No. 26 nationally, were first off after a 6-0 win over Murphy and Chisato Kanemaki. Pepperdine clinched the doubles point at No. 2 where Chantal Sauvant and Grechkina got past Alvarez Sande and Ava-Monet Sycamore 6-2. The match at No. 3 was stopped once the point was decided, with WSU's Yura Nakagawa and Zali Morris leading Alexia Harmon and Shihomi Leong, 4-3.
In singles play, Pepperdine increased its lead to 2-0 when Zhiyenbayeva, ranked No. 122 nationally, completed a 6-0, 6-3 win over Puvill at No. 3.
Pepperdine increased its lead to 3-1 as Sauvant defeated Nakagawa, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4, then clinched the match at No. 5 when Harmon posted 6-0, 6-1 win over Kanemaki. With the team outcome decided, Pepperdine defaulted the match at No. 6 singles with the Waves' Leong lead Sycamore, 6-1.
The Cougars are next in action Friday, March 13, when they travel to Eugene to face Oregon.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 16 Pepperdine 4 def. No. 68 Washington State 3
March 3, 2026
Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
DOUBLES
No. 1 #26 Ziva Falkner/Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (Pepp.) def. Maxine Murphy/Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0
No. 2 Chantal Sauvant/Anastasiia Grechkina (Pepp.) def. Eva Alvarez Sande/Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) 6-2
No. 3 Yura Nakagawa/Zali Morris (WSU) vs. Alexia Harmon/Shihomi Leong (Pepp.) 4-3 DNF
Order of Finish: 1,2
SINGLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. #43 Ziva Falkner (Pepp.) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
No. 2 Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. #10 Anastasiia Grechkina (Pepp.) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 #122 Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (Pepp.) def. Martina Puvill (WSU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 4 Chantal Sauvant (Pepp.) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Alexia Harmon (Pepp.) def. Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
No. 6 Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) def. Shihomi Leong (Pepp.) 1-6, def.
Order of Finish: 3,2,4,1,5,6
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2
#1 Singles Match
123
Ziva Falkner / 0 (43/-) [PEPP]
363
636
#2 Singles Match
12
Anastasiia Grechkina / 0 (10/-) [PEPP]
34
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Sonja Zhiyenbayeva / 0 (122/-) [PEPP]
66
03
#4 Singles Match
12
Chantal Sauvant / 0 [PEPP]
66
32
#5 Singles Match
12
Alexia Harmon / 0 [PEPP]
66
01
#6 Singles Match
12
Shihomi Leong / 0 [PEPP]
60
1WR
Order of Finish:
3,2,4,1,5,6
Players Mentioned
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