University of Utah
Washington State
No. 52 Utah Women's Tennis Bests Washington State
3/27/2015 12:00 AM | Women's Tennis
SALT LAKE CITY -- The No. 52 University of Utah women's tennis team (8-10, 3-4 Pac-12) extended its winning streak to five with a 5-2 victory over Washington State (12-9, 0-7 Pac-12) Friday afternoon at Coach Mike's Tennis Academy.
The Utes claimed an early edge as Sarah Richter and Jena Cheng quickly took the No. 2 doubles match from Elizayeta Luzina and Lize Leenknecht (8-1) for the first victory of the afternoon. The score was evened as No. 38 Tereza Bekerova and Margo Pletcher took a loss in the No. 1 match, but Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa and Elena Najera-Salas prevailed over Donika Bashota and Victoria Matejevic (8-7) in a tough No. 3 match to clinch the doubles point for Utah.
Entering singles play, the Utes handily took the next two points to build a comfortable 3-0 lead. Pletcher blanked Matejevic 6-0, 6-0 to take the No. 4 match before No. 67 Bekerova downed Luzina in the first match 6-2, 6-1.
Cheng clinched the match for the Utes, topping Leenknecht (7-6, 6-4) at No. 3. Though the match was decided, play continued as Alexia Petrovic beat Nastia Vasykhina 7-6, 6-4, while Richter and Rosa dropped their perspective matches. The Utah victory was highlighted by straight-set victories from three freshman including Pletcher, Cheng and Petrovic.
Utah wraps up its 2015 home campaign with senior night on April 4 against Rice. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Coach Mike's Tennis Academy.
#52 Utah 5, Washington State 2
Doubles
- Luzina/Leenknecht (WSU) def. No. 38 Bekerova/Pletcher (UT) - 8-6
- Richter/Cheng (UT) def. Biryukova/Vasyukhina (WSU) -- 8-1
- Rosa/Najera-Salas (UT) def. Bashota/Matejevic (WSU) -- 8-7
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles
- No. 67 Tereza Bekerova (UT) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) -- 6-2, 6-1
- Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Sarah Richter (UT) -- 6-3, 6-7, 7-5
- Jena Cheng (UT) def. Lize Leenknecht (WSU) -- 7-6, 6-4
- Margo Pletcher (UT) def. Victoria Matejevic (WSU) -- 6-0, 6-0
- Donika Bashota (WSU) def. Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa (UT) -- 5-7, 7-5, 6-4
- Alexia Petrovic (UT) def. Nastia Vasyukhina (WSU) -- 7-6, 6-4
Order of Finish: 4, 1, 3, 6, 2, 5
