By Lindsay Gaesser, SDA Media Relations
TEMPE, Ariz.—On a seven-match wining streak, the No. 28 Arizona State women’s tennis team (13-2; 1-0 Pac-12) edged out the BYU Cougars 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe, Ariz.
“We’re always happy to come out with a win,” said ASU Head Coach Sheila McInerney. “I think BYU played well, especially in the doubles.”
In doubles play, ASU’s Desirae Krawczyk and Kassidy Jump cruised to an 8-3 victory on court one to open up the meet. However, Sun Devil losses on courts two and three earned BYU the doubles’ point.
“I thought we came out sort of flat in the doubles, which was disappointing,” said McInerney. “I think our energy was not what it needed to be.”
After dropping the doubles point, the Sun Devils rallied and went on to win four of the six singles matches.
“Stephanie [Vlad], Desirae, and Kassidy got their business done pretty quickly,” said McInerney. “They got on and off the court quickly, which was good.”
Vlad defeated BYU’s Mayci Jones in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, while Krawczyk handily won her match against Meghan Sheehan-Dizon 6-3, 6-0. Jump, a freshman, steamrolled BYU’s Toby Miclat in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0.
With the match score at 3-2 in favor of ASU, all eyes turned to courts three and five. Leighann Sahagun ultimately sealed the victory for Arizona State after defeating BYU’s Nicolette Tran in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-0.
“Leighann came back—won the first, lost the second, then played well in the third,” said McInerney. “But Ebony [Panoho] let a lead slip. She was up 6-0, then 2-0—it looked like it was going to be an easy match and be done quickly. But then she sort of struggled.
I think we need to play better moving forward,” added McInerney. “Purdue is going to be a good test on Tuesday, so we need to be ready for that.”
The Sun Devils return to action on Tuesday, Mar. 18, when they host Purdue at 1:30 PM (PT) at Whiteman Tennis Center.
#28 Arizona State 4, BYU 3
Whiteman Tennis Center
Tempe, Ariz.
Mar. 15, 2014
Doubles Results
1. Krawcyzk/Jump (ASU) def. N Tran/D. Tran (BYU), 8-3
2. Jones/Miclat (BYU) def. Sahagun/Panoho (ASU), 8-5
3. Anderson/Sheehan-Dizon (BYU) def. Vlad/Smith (ASU), 8-6
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles Results
1. Stephanie Vlad (ASU) def. Mayci Jones (BYU), 6-4, 6-0
2. Desirae Krawczyk (ASU) def. Meghan Sheehan-Dizon (BYU), 6-3, 6-0
3. Leighann Sahagun (ASU) def. Nicolette Tran (BYU), 6-1, 2-6, 6-0
4. Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. Toby Miclat (BYU), 6-1, 6-0
5. Savannah Ware (BYU) def. Ebony Panoho (ASU), 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Morgan Anderson (BYU) def. Joanna Smith (ASU), 6-3, 6-3
Order of Finish: 4, 6, 2, 1, 3, 5