Tempe, Ariz. – Arizona State women's tennis match-up with No. 39 USC proved to be a nail biter with the match coming down to the very last match, ultimately ending in a 4-3 loss on Friday afternoon at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
The Trojans (9-8, 4-4) took the early lead over the Sun Devils (12-6, 5-3) in doubles as ASU junior Kelley Anderson and sophomore Savannah Slaysman fell to No. 41 Gabby Smith and Zoe Katz, 6-2.
"With the doubles point you have a little bit of momentum but USC is tough, they beat us handily," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "They're pretty much the same team as a year ago, so we knew singles would be tough and it was."
Senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton won their match on court three, 6-4, against Madison Westby and Angela Kulikov, bringing the Devils back into the fight for the doubles point.
On court one, No. 73 Nicole Fossa-Huergo and Alex Osborne landed the Devils on the scoreboard first, taking a 1-0 lead with their 7-5 win over No. 71 Jessica Failla and Rianna Valdes.
As singles began, USC again got off to a great start. They won four of the six first sets and tied the match 1-1 with a win from No. 46 Jessica Failla, 6-3, 6-0, over No. 109 Hampton.
Slaysman put the Devils back in the lead with her win in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, against USC's Madison Westby on court five.
The back and forth battle continued as USC answered ASU's lead with another win, this time in two sets, 6-4, 7-6(4) by Rianna Valdes over No. 102 Anderson on court three.
No. 75 Jump snagged a huge upset over No. 23 Gabby Smith, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Her comeback gave the Devils the advantage with two singles matches still in progress.
USC's Angela Kulikov defeated Gussie O'Sullivan, 6-3, 7-5, leaving the deciding point to Nicole Fossa-Huergo versus No. 113 Zoe Katz.
After three long sets, Fossa Huergo battled to the end before Katz finished three of the final four points, winning 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-5. The Trojans seized the win, 4-3.
"You hate to be on the losing end of these, but when you look at it, it was a really good college match," said McInerney. "The kids battled, and knock on wood, we're going to be in this situation again, maybe even with more stakes on the line if we get to the post season."
Up next, the Devils take on UCLA on Saturday at 12 p.m. The Bruins defeated the University of Arizona, 4-1, on Friday to improve their Pac-12 record to 7-1.
#39 USC – 4, 29 Arizona State – 3
Whiteman Tennis Center
April 14, 2017
Doubles
1. #73 Osborne/Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. #71 Failla/Valdes (USC) - 7 - 5
2. #41 Smith/Katz (USC) def. Anderson/Slaysman (ASU) - 6 - 2
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Westby/Kulikov (USC) - 6 - 4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles:
1. #75 Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. #23 Gabby Smith (USC) – 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #46 Jessica Failla (USC) def. #109 Sammi Hampton (ASU) – 6-3, 6-0
3. Rianna Valdes (USC) def. #102 Kelley Anderson (ASU) – 6-4, 7-6 (4)
4. #113 Zoe Katz (USC) def. Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) - 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5
5. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) def. Madison Westby (USC) - 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
6. Angela Kulikov (USC) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) - 6-3, 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 5, 3, 1, 6, 4
The Trojans (9-8, 4-4) took the early lead over the Sun Devils (12-6, 5-3) in doubles as ASU junior Kelley Anderson and sophomore Savannah Slaysman fell to No. 41 Gabby Smith and Zoe Katz, 6-2.
"With the doubles point you have a little bit of momentum but USC is tough, they beat us handily," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "They're pretty much the same team as a year ago, so we knew singles would be tough and it was."
Senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton won their match on court three, 6-4, against Madison Westby and Angela Kulikov, bringing the Devils back into the fight for the doubles point.
On court one, No. 73 Nicole Fossa-Huergo and Alex Osborne landed the Devils on the scoreboard first, taking a 1-0 lead with their 7-5 win over No. 71 Jessica Failla and Rianna Valdes.
As singles began, USC again got off to a great start. They won four of the six first sets and tied the match 1-1 with a win from No. 46 Jessica Failla, 6-3, 6-0, over No. 109 Hampton.
Slaysman put the Devils back in the lead with her win in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, against USC's Madison Westby on court five.
The back and forth battle continued as USC answered ASU's lead with another win, this time in two sets, 6-4, 7-6(4) by Rianna Valdes over No. 102 Anderson on court three.
No. 75 Jump snagged a huge upset over No. 23 Gabby Smith, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Her comeback gave the Devils the advantage with two singles matches still in progress.
USC's Angela Kulikov defeated Gussie O'Sullivan, 6-3, 7-5, leaving the deciding point to Nicole Fossa-Huergo versus No. 113 Zoe Katz.
After three long sets, Fossa Huergo battled to the end before Katz finished three of the final four points, winning 6-7(5), 7-5, 7-5. The Trojans seized the win, 4-3.
"You hate to be on the losing end of these, but when you look at it, it was a really good college match," said McInerney. "The kids battled, and knock on wood, we're going to be in this situation again, maybe even with more stakes on the line if we get to the post season."
Up next, the Devils take on UCLA on Saturday at 12 p.m. The Bruins defeated the University of Arizona, 4-1, on Friday to improve their Pac-12 record to 7-1.
#39 USC – 4, 29 Arizona State – 3
Whiteman Tennis Center
April 14, 2017
Doubles
1. #73 Osborne/Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. #71 Failla/Valdes (USC) - 7 - 5
2. #41 Smith/Katz (USC) def. Anderson/Slaysman (ASU) - 6 - 2
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Westby/Kulikov (USC) - 6 - 4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles:
1. #75 Kassidy Jump (ASU) def. #23 Gabby Smith (USC) – 3-6, 6-2, 6-3
2. #46 Jessica Failla (USC) def. #109 Sammi Hampton (ASU) – 6-3, 6-0
3. Rianna Valdes (USC) def. #102 Kelley Anderson (ASU) – 6-4, 7-6 (4)
4. #113 Zoe Katz (USC) def. Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) - 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5
5. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) def. Madison Westby (USC) - 6-3, 1-6, 6-2
6. Angela Kulikov (USC) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) - 6-3, 7-5
Order of finish: 2, 5, 3, 1, 6, 4