LOS ANGELES – Senior Nicole Fossa Huergo had the pleasure of making history for Arizona State as she scored the match-clinching point for the Sun Devils in their thrilling 4-3 victory over USC in Los Angeles Saturday.
Just a day after suffering a tough loss in Westwood, ASU rebounded in Downtown L.A., taking a back-and-forth affair that started with the Devils claiming the doubles point behind solid performances on courts one and two.
"I'm super happy the team was able to bounce back after a really tough match against UCLA," coach Sheila McInerney said. "We came out and played really solid doubles, and we fought and competed great in singles."
John-Baptiste/Hattingh got back to winning ways after they dropped their first match as a tandem Friday afternoon by taking care of No. 32 Valdes/Kulikov 6-4 Saturday for their 15th win of the season.
Slaysman/Kolarova then clinched the doubles point for the Devils with a 6-2 win.
Although Southern Cal tied the match at one with a quick two-setter on the second court, Tereza Kolarova responded with a sweep on court six to put ASU ahead once again at 2-1.
The Trojans responded again, this time with a comeback win on court four.
On court five, Sasa Klanecek went into a tiebreak in the first set with Madison Westby, but handled the Trojan junior in the second set 6-3 to give the Devils a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining.
With the court one match on its way to being the Trojans' third point, Fossa Huergo found herself in a tiebreak for match point on court three.
She had already won the first set 6-4, but Becca Weissman had the Sun Devil senior down in the tiebreak and was fighting for a third set with a crucial Pac-12 result on the line.
Fossa Huergo battled back to tie it at six apiece, then clinched the match and the win for ASU, 6-3, 7-6 (6) for the Devils' first win over the Trojans since 2011 and their first win in Los Angeles since 2002.
"It's never easy to win on the road against a good team like USC, so well done to the girls for accomplishing that today," McInerney said. "They should be proud of themselves."
With only one match left in the regular season, the Devils stand at 14-6 with a chance next week to make it five season of 15 wins or more in the last six years.
Their final opponent of the regular season will be in-state rival U of A in Tucson next weekend.
"We'll get a little rest when we get back to Tempe, then we'll get ready for Arizona down in Tucson," McInerney said.
No. 33 Arizona State: 4
No. 41 USC: 3
Doubles
(1) #21 Hattingh/John-Baptiste (ASU) def. #32 Valdes/Kulikov (USC) – 6-4
(2) Slaysman/Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. Smith/Weissmann (USC) – 6-2
(3) Branstine/Westby (USC) vs. Klanecek/Kolarova (ASU) – 4-4 susp.
Order of Finish: 1, 2
Arizona State wins doubles point
Singles
(1) #48 Gabby Smith (USC) def. #53 Lauryn John-Baptiste (ASU) – 6-2, 7-5
(2) #98 Rianna Valdes (USC) def. Ilze Hattingh (ASU) – 6-3, 6-3
(3) Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. Becca Weissmann (USC) – 6-4, 7-6 (6)*
(4) Angela Kulikov(USC) def. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
(5) Sasa Klanecek (ASU) def. Madison Wesby (USC) – 7-6 (5), 6-3
(6) Tereza Kolarova (ASU) def. Constance Branstine (USC)– 7-5, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 6, 4, 5, 1, 3*
Just a day after suffering a tough loss in Westwood, ASU rebounded in Downtown L.A., taking a back-and-forth affair that started with the Devils claiming the doubles point behind solid performances on courts one and two.
"I'm super happy the team was able to bounce back after a really tough match against UCLA," coach Sheila McInerney said. "We came out and played really solid doubles, and we fought and competed great in singles."
John-Baptiste/Hattingh got back to winning ways after they dropped their first match as a tandem Friday afternoon by taking care of No. 32 Valdes/Kulikov 6-4 Saturday for their 15th win of the season.
Slaysman/Kolarova then clinched the doubles point for the Devils with a 6-2 win.
Although Southern Cal tied the match at one with a quick two-setter on the second court, Tereza Kolarova responded with a sweep on court six to put ASU ahead once again at 2-1.
The Trojans responded again, this time with a comeback win on court four.
On court five, Sasa Klanecek went into a tiebreak in the first set with Madison Westby, but handled the Trojan junior in the second set 6-3 to give the Devils a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining.
With the court one match on its way to being the Trojans' third point, Fossa Huergo found herself in a tiebreak for match point on court three.
She had already won the first set 6-4, but Becca Weissman had the Sun Devil senior down in the tiebreak and was fighting for a third set with a crucial Pac-12 result on the line.
Fossa Huergo battled back to tie it at six apiece, then clinched the match and the win for ASU, 6-3, 7-6 (6) for the Devils' first win over the Trojans since 2011 and their first win in Los Angeles since 2002.
"It's never easy to win on the road against a good team like USC, so well done to the girls for accomplishing that today," McInerney said. "They should be proud of themselves."
With only one match left in the regular season, the Devils stand at 14-6 with a chance next week to make it five season of 15 wins or more in the last six years.
Their final opponent of the regular season will be in-state rival U of A in Tucson next weekend.
"We'll get a little rest when we get back to Tempe, then we'll get ready for Arizona down in Tucson," McInerney said.
No. 33 Arizona State: 4
No. 41 USC: 3
Doubles
(1) #21 Hattingh/John-Baptiste (ASU) def. #32 Valdes/Kulikov (USC) – 6-4
(2) Slaysman/Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. Smith/Weissmann (USC) – 6-2
(3) Branstine/Westby (USC) vs. Klanecek/Kolarova (ASU) – 4-4 susp.
Order of Finish: 1, 2
Arizona State wins doubles point
Singles
(1) #48 Gabby Smith (USC) def. #53 Lauryn John-Baptiste (ASU) – 6-2, 7-5
(2) #98 Rianna Valdes (USC) def. Ilze Hattingh (ASU) – 6-3, 6-3
(3) Nicole Fossa Huergo (ASU) def. Becca Weissmann (USC) – 6-4, 7-6 (6)*
(4) Angela Kulikov(USC) def. Savannah Slaysman (ASU) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-4
(5) Sasa Klanecek (ASU) def. Madison Wesby (USC) – 7-6 (5), 6-3
(6) Tereza Kolarova (ASU) def. Constance Branstine (USC)– 7-5, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 6, 4, 5, 1, 3*