March 25, 2007
PULLMAN, Wash. - Senior Amy Toth earned her 16th victory of the season and 74th collegiate win as she clinch a 5-2 win in the No. 2 slot over No. 23 Oregon, Sunday afternoon at the Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.
The win improved the Cougars to 12-7 and 1-4 in Pac-10 play as Oregon dropped to 10-5 and 0-3 in conference action. The victory also ends a five-match skid against the Ducks that spanned over three years.
The victory also ties the mark for the highest ranked opponent WSU Head Coach Lisa Hart has defeated during her four-year tenure at the helm of Cougar tennis. Hart has defeated 12 nationally-ranked opponent culminated by a 4-3 victory against No. 23 Oregon in 2004.
"This win is a great reflection of the progress our team has made this year and the direction our program continues to be headed toward." Hart said. "I am proud of the manner in which our players are preparing in practice and the intensity and focus we are displaying in our matches.
The Cougars started off the day earning the doubles point after victories in the No. 1 and 3 slots. Seniors Ekaterina Burduli and Marjolein van de Ven got the Cougars off to a great start after their 8-5 defeat against Dominika Dieskova and Ana Cecilia Olivos. The WSU duo has teamed up for 20 career victories, which ties them for ninth on the WSU all-time doubles victories list.
Within seconds of the completion of the Burduli and van de Ven's match, Oregon captured a victory in the No. 2 position as Claudia Hirt and Carmen Seremeta posted an 8-4 victory over Anastesia Opata and Amy Toth.
With all eyes on court three, Aleksandra Cekic and Aleksandra Stefanova needed a tiebreaker to decide it's 9-7 win over Monica Hoz de Vila and Anna Powaska. The WSU duo went down 6-4, but battled back to tie the match at six. Oregon took a 7-6 lead before dropping three-straight games to the Cougars.
In singles action, Burduli increased the Cougar lead to two after posting a straight-set defeat over Dieskova, 6-3, 6-0. Teammate van de Ven followed in similar footsteps with her straight-set victory over Seremeta, 6-0, 6-1 in the No. 3 slot.
With the Cougars leading 3-0, Toth put the match out of reach for Oregon with a three-set victory over Olivos, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2. With the win, Toth inched forward in the career victories list to fifth, which ties her with Narelle Hall at 74.
With the match already decided, WSU increased its margin of victory in the No. 4 slot as Cekic battled back from a 6-1 loss in the first set to take the next two sets, 6-4, 6-2 adding the finishing touches on a Cougar victory.
WSU and Oregon met previously this year in a nonconference match, Feb. 24 in Eugene and the Ducks came away with a 6-1 victory.
The Cougars will take another week long break before traveling to Boise State to take on the Broncos, Saturday March 31 at noon.
WASHINGTON STATE TENNIS
No. 42 Washington State def. No. 23 Oregon, 5-2
March 25, 2007
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.
Doubles:
1.) Burduli/van de Ven (WSU) def. Dieskova/Olivos (ORE) - 8-5
2.) Hirt/Seremeta (ORE) def. Opata/Toth (WSU) - 8-4
3.) Cekic/Stefanova (WSU) def. Hoz de Vila/Powaska (ORE) - 9-7
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
Singles:
1.) Ekaterina Burduli (WSU) def. Dominika Dieskova (ORE) - 6-3, 6-0
2.) Amy Toth (WSU) def. Ana Cecilia Olivos (ORE) - 6-4, 2-6, 6-2
3.) Marjolein van de Ven (WSU) def. Carmen Seremeta (ORE) - 6-0, 6-1
4.) Aleksandra Cekic (WSU) def. Anna Powaska (ORE) - 1-6, 6-4, 6-3
5.) Monica Hoz de Vila (ORE) def. Aleksandra Stefanova (WSU) - 7-5, 6-3
6.) Claudia Hirt (ORE) def. Anastesia Opata (WSU) - 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 4, 6, 5
