AUBURN, Ala. – The Sun Devil women's tennis season came to a close on Friday afternoon at the Yarbrough Tennis Center, as No. 37 Florida State upset No. 26 Arizona State, 4-2, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tiebreaks were the difference in the match, as the Seminoles (17-11, 6-5 ACC) were able to capture the doubles point thanks to a tiebreak point on court one, followed by three crucial tiebreak points on three different courts that fell FSU's way.
"First off, I would like to congratulate Florida State on a well played match," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "We knew they were going to be a tough out and that proved to be the case. We definitely had our chances. If we could have won one of the four tiebreakers, I think it may have changed the momentum of the match. Unfortunately we could not quite do that."
The duo of senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton got the Devils (14-8, 7-3 Pac-12) started on the right foot, as they rolled to a 6-2 win on court three in doubles.
The Noles' pairing of Nandini Das and Ariana Rahmanparast evened it up with a 6-4 win over junior Kelley Anderson and freshman Savannah Slaysman on two.
It came down to a tiebreak point on court one to decide the first point, and FSU's Julia Mikulski and Andrea Garcia pulled the upset over No. 68 Nicole Fossa-Huergo and Alex Osborne, 7-6(1).
It was just the seventh loss in doubles this season for ASU and second to a lower-ranked opponent.
The Devils fought back as singles began, with No. 124 Anderson sweeping her match against Mikulski on court three, 6-4, 6-2. It was her 24th victory in her first season in the maroon and gold – a career high and ranks tied for ninth all-time in ASU history for singles victories in a season.
On court five, Slaysman picked up her 20th victory of the season to give ASU their first and only lead of the match, as she defeated Andrea Garcia, 6-2, 7-6(3). It would be the final point the Devils would earn.
Doubles partners Jump and Hampton were on the brink of elimination after tough first set losses. After going down 4-2 in the second set, both of them battled back to tie their matches at 6-6 and force an all-important tiebreak to force a third set. Unfortunately, both lost close tiebreaks, with Jump falling 6-2, 7-6(6) and Hampton dropping her match 6-3, 7-6(4).
The Seminole women retook the lead at 3-2 with the match coming down to courts four and six.
Senior Gussie O'Sullivan was grinding away as usual on court six, forcing a tiebreak in the first set that resulted in a 7-6(6) loss. She again battled back in the second, coming within a point at 5-4, needing the win to continue the match. Ariana Rahmanparast finished the final point and the match, winning 7-6(6), 6-4.
The Devils finish the season with a 14-8 record and the highest-ever finish in the Pac-12 regular season standings.
Jump will now enter the NCAA Singles Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, May 24 in Atlanta, Ga. She'll find out her first round opponent on Tuesday, May 23.
#37 – Florida State - 4, #26 Arizona State - 2
Auburn, Ala. – May 12, 2017
Yarbrough Tennis Center
Doubles
1.Mikulski/Garcia (FSU) def. #68 Fossa-Huergo/Osborne (ASU) – 7-6(1)
2. Das/Rahmanparast (FSU) def. Slaysman/Anderson (ASU) – 6-4
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Schippers/Castaneda (FSU) – 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
Singles
1.Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) def. #50 Kassidy Jump (ASU) – 6-2, 7-6(6)
2. Nandini Das (FSU) def. #108 Sammi Hampton (ASU) – 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. #124 Kelley Anderson (ASU) def. Julia Mikulski (FSU) – 6-4, 6-2
4. Nicole Fossa-Huergo (ASU) vs. Daniela Schippers (FSU) – 6-4, 3-6, 5-3 (Unf)
5. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) def. Andrea Garcia (FSU) – 6-2, 7-6(3)
6. Ariana Rahmanparast (FSU) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) – 7-6(6), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3,5,1,2,6
Tiebreaks were the difference in the match, as the Seminoles (17-11, 6-5 ACC) were able to capture the doubles point thanks to a tiebreak point on court one, followed by three crucial tiebreak points on three different courts that fell FSU's way.
"First off, I would like to congratulate Florida State on a well played match," said head coach Sheila McInerney. "We knew they were going to be a tough out and that proved to be the case. We definitely had our chances. If we could have won one of the four tiebreakers, I think it may have changed the momentum of the match. Unfortunately we could not quite do that."
The duo of senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton got the Devils (14-8, 7-3 Pac-12) started on the right foot, as they rolled to a 6-2 win on court three in doubles.
The Noles' pairing of Nandini Das and Ariana Rahmanparast evened it up with a 6-4 win over junior Kelley Anderson and freshman Savannah Slaysman on two.
It came down to a tiebreak point on court one to decide the first point, and FSU's Julia Mikulski and Andrea Garcia pulled the upset over No. 68 Nicole Fossa-Huergo and Alex Osborne, 7-6(1).
It was just the seventh loss in doubles this season for ASU and second to a lower-ranked opponent.
The Devils fought back as singles began, with No. 124 Anderson sweeping her match against Mikulski on court three, 6-4, 6-2. It was her 24th victory in her first season in the maroon and gold – a career high and ranks tied for ninth all-time in ASU history for singles victories in a season.
On court five, Slaysman picked up her 20th victory of the season to give ASU their first and only lead of the match, as she defeated Andrea Garcia, 6-2, 7-6(3). It would be the final point the Devils would earn.
Doubles partners Jump and Hampton were on the brink of elimination after tough first set losses. After going down 4-2 in the second set, both of them battled back to tie their matches at 6-6 and force an all-important tiebreak to force a third set. Unfortunately, both lost close tiebreaks, with Jump falling 6-2, 7-6(6) and Hampton dropping her match 6-3, 7-6(4).
The Seminole women retook the lead at 3-2 with the match coming down to courts four and six.
Senior Gussie O'Sullivan was grinding away as usual on court six, forcing a tiebreak in the first set that resulted in a 7-6(6) loss. She again battled back in the second, coming within a point at 5-4, needing the win to continue the match. Ariana Rahmanparast finished the final point and the match, winning 7-6(6), 6-4.
The Devils finish the season with a 14-8 record and the highest-ever finish in the Pac-12 regular season standings.
Jump will now enter the NCAA Singles Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, May 24 in Atlanta, Ga. She'll find out her first round opponent on Tuesday, May 23.
#37 – Florida State - 4, #26 Arizona State - 2
Auburn, Ala. – May 12, 2017
Yarbrough Tennis Center
Doubles
1.Mikulski/Garcia (FSU) def. #68 Fossa-Huergo/Osborne (ASU) – 7-6(1)
2. Das/Rahmanparast (FSU) def. Slaysman/Anderson (ASU) – 6-4
3. Jump/Hampton (ASU) def. Schippers/Castaneda (FSU) – 6-2
Order of Finish: 3,2,1
Singles
1.Gabriella Castaneda (FSU) def. #50 Kassidy Jump (ASU) – 6-2, 7-6(6)
2. Nandini Das (FSU) def. #108 Sammi Hampton (ASU) – 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. #124 Kelley Anderson (ASU) def. Julia Mikulski (FSU) – 6-4, 6-2
4. Nicole Fossa-Huergo (ASU) vs. Daniela Schippers (FSU) – 6-4, 3-6, 5-3 (Unf)
5. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) def. Andrea Garcia (FSU) – 6-2, 7-6(3)
6. Ariana Rahmanparast (FSU) def. Gussie O'Sullivan (ASU) – 7-6(6), 6-3
Order of Finish: 3,5,1,2,6