Tennis topples home foes

Tennis++topples++home+foes

From staff reports

There wasn’t much back-and-forth action in terms of scoring, with the Cougar tennis team winning in a convincing fashion during the weekend.

The Washington State University women’s tennis team (8-1) extended their winning streak to six matches with victories against Brigham Young, UC Santa Barbara, and Seattle on the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingberry Fieldhouse.

On Friday, junior Charlotte Koning clinched the win on the day’s final match with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over BYU’s freshman Savannah Ware in No. 6 singles.

Washington State began the day with a 3-0 lead having captured the doubles point and the first two singles matches. However, BYU rallied back with three-straight singles wins before Koning’s match-deciding win.

Sophomore Maria Biryukova and senior Olga Musilovich needed just 20 minutes in the opening doubles match to earn a 6-0 sweep over BYU’s sophomore Nicolette Tran and freshman Toby Miclat.

Following suit, WSU’s junior Elizaveta Luzina and sophomore Lize Leenknecht also recorded a 6-0 sweep, this time against BYU freshman Mayci Jones and junior Meghan Sheehan-Dizon at No. 1.

Saturday included a day-night doubleheader for WSU that featured strong play all across the board for the ladies in crimson and gray.

Against Seattle, the Cougars captured the opening doubles point for the eighth time in nine chances this season with Koning and Ognjenovic’s 6-0 win against freshman Kailyn Skjonsby and freshman Samantha Garrard.

At No. 1, Luzina and Leenknecht followed with a 6-2 victory against Seattle’s freshman Kelli Woodman and freshman Barbara Carey. WSU’s pairing of Musilovich and Biryukova led 3-2 at No. 3 before their match was stopped.

The Redhawks’ Garrard managed to win the final three games to defeat senior Emily Funabiki, 6-3, 7-5.

Against UC Santa Barbara, the Cougars again took the opening doubles point. The No. 1 team of Luzina and Leenknecht easily dispatched the Gauchos’ pairing of freshman Kaiulani Boyer and freshman Melissa Baker, winning 6-1.

The Cougars clinched the victory with Leenknecht’s 6-2, 6-3 win over April Scatliffe at No. 2, and put the WSU lead up to 4-0.

The Cougars are back in action at noon on Friday to host to Fresno State at Hollingberry Fieldhouse.