OJAI, Calif. – In the rematch of a 4-3 thriller from a couple of weeks ago, the Sun Devil women's tennis team came out on top once again over the USC Trojans in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Championships, Thursday in Ojai, California.
"We had another barn-burner with USC and we're really happy to come away with the win," coach Sheila McInerney said.
The matchup marked the second-straight year the Devils and Trojans crossed paths in the quarterfinal as last year's three-seed Devils fell short of defeating six-seed USC, 4-3 for the second time that season.
With the win today, it's the first time since 2011 that ASU has defeated the Trojans twice in one season.
McInerney's Devils started on a high in doubles with courts two and three winning quickly to put ASU up 1-0. Kolarova/Slaysman won once again over Smith/Weissmann, and this time it was court three's Fossa Huergo/Klanecek that prevailed and clinched the point for the Devils with their 6-3 win.
"Like last time, even though we played really well to win the doubles point, we knew USC wouldn't go away easily and they didn't," McInerney said.
The singles matches started differently from the previous meeting in L.A., but fittingly ended the same.
Savannah Slaysman, who lost to Angela Kukilov two weeks ago, was not intimidated by the rematch as she made quick work of the Trojan sophomore, 6-3, 6-3, to put the Devils up 2-0. Slaysman's win gave her the outright lead in wins this dual-match season with 13.
Ilze Hattingh got her revenge on court two with her straight-sets win over Rianna Valdes who won their first meeting in similar fashion. The sophomore Devil's win gave ASU a 3-0 lead with four matches to play, but the Trojans would get two back with wins in three-set battles on courts five and one.
Just like last time, the match looked like it was going to come down to senior Nicole Fossa Huergo on court three, who won the first set 7-6(4), and was trying to hold off Becca Weissmann in the second set tied 5-5.
"Nicole was able to clinch the win for us in a straight-set match," McInerney said. "I thought our team battled really hard and they were determined to make the semis. We're extremely excited to get there and get another shot at UCLA."
Fossa Huergo went on to win two-straight games and clinch the match again over USC to send ASU into the semifinal round where they will face another L.A. foe, No. 2 UCLA, Friday at 1 p.m. in Ojai.
Last time the Devils and Bruins hit the hard courts in Westwood, the Blue and Gold ended ASU's three-match win streak with a 4-0 defeat.
No. 3 Arizona State: 4
No. 6 USC: 2
DOUBLES:
1. Ilze Hattingh/Lauryn John-Baptiste, ASU vs. Angela Kulikov/Rianna Valdes, USC – 5-5 unf.
2. Tereza Kolarova/Savannah Slaysman, ASU def. Becca Weissmann/Gabby Smith, USC – 6-2
3. Nicole Fossa Huergo/Sasa Klanecek, ASU def. Constance Branstine/Madison Westby, USC – 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3
SINGLES:
1. Gabby Smith, USC def. Lauryn John-Baptiste, ASU – 2-1 (3-6, 6-3, 6-1)
2. Ilze Hattingh, ASU def. Rianna Valdes, USC – 2-0 (6-3, 7-5)
3. Nicole Fossa Huergo, ASU vs. Becca Weissmann, USC – 2-0 (7-6 (4), 7-5)
4. Savannah Slaysman, ASU def. Angela Kulikov, USC – 2-0 (6-3, 6-3)
5. Madison Westby, USC def. Sasa Klanecek, ASU – 2-1 (3-6, 6-0, 6-1)
6. Constance Branstine, USC vs. Tereza Kolarova, ASU – 7-5, 3-6, 4-2 unf.
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 1, 3
"We had another barn-burner with USC and we're really happy to come away with the win," coach Sheila McInerney said.
The matchup marked the second-straight year the Devils and Trojans crossed paths in the quarterfinal as last year's three-seed Devils fell short of defeating six-seed USC, 4-3 for the second time that season.
With the win today, it's the first time since 2011 that ASU has defeated the Trojans twice in one season.
McInerney's Devils started on a high in doubles with courts two and three winning quickly to put ASU up 1-0. Kolarova/Slaysman won once again over Smith/Weissmann, and this time it was court three's Fossa Huergo/Klanecek that prevailed and clinched the point for the Devils with their 6-3 win.
"Like last time, even though we played really well to win the doubles point, we knew USC wouldn't go away easily and they didn't," McInerney said.
The singles matches started differently from the previous meeting in L.A., but fittingly ended the same.
Savannah Slaysman, who lost to Angela Kukilov two weeks ago, was not intimidated by the rematch as she made quick work of the Trojan sophomore, 6-3, 6-3, to put the Devils up 2-0. Slaysman's win gave her the outright lead in wins this dual-match season with 13.
Ilze Hattingh got her revenge on court two with her straight-sets win over Rianna Valdes who won their first meeting in similar fashion. The sophomore Devil's win gave ASU a 3-0 lead with four matches to play, but the Trojans would get two back with wins in three-set battles on courts five and one.
Just like last time, the match looked like it was going to come down to senior Nicole Fossa Huergo on court three, who won the first set 7-6(4), and was trying to hold off Becca Weissmann in the second set tied 5-5.
"Nicole was able to clinch the win for us in a straight-set match," McInerney said. "I thought our team battled really hard and they were determined to make the semis. We're extremely excited to get there and get another shot at UCLA."
Fossa Huergo went on to win two-straight games and clinch the match again over USC to send ASU into the semifinal round where they will face another L.A. foe, No. 2 UCLA, Friday at 1 p.m. in Ojai.
Last time the Devils and Bruins hit the hard courts in Westwood, the Blue and Gold ended ASU's three-match win streak with a 4-0 defeat.
No. 3 Arizona State: 4
No. 6 USC: 2
DOUBLES:
1. Ilze Hattingh/Lauryn John-Baptiste, ASU vs. Angela Kulikov/Rianna Valdes, USC – 5-5 unf.
2. Tereza Kolarova/Savannah Slaysman, ASU def. Becca Weissmann/Gabby Smith, USC – 6-2
3. Nicole Fossa Huergo/Sasa Klanecek, ASU def. Constance Branstine/Madison Westby, USC – 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3
SINGLES:
1. Gabby Smith, USC def. Lauryn John-Baptiste, ASU – 2-1 (3-6, 6-3, 6-1)
2. Ilze Hattingh, ASU def. Rianna Valdes, USC – 2-0 (6-3, 7-5)
3. Nicole Fossa Huergo, ASU vs. Becca Weissmann, USC – 2-0 (7-6 (4), 7-5)
4. Savannah Slaysman, ASU def. Angela Kulikov, USC – 2-0 (6-3, 6-3)
5. Madison Westby, USC def. Sasa Klanecek, ASU – 2-1 (3-6, 6-0, 6-1)
6. Constance Branstine, USC vs. Tereza Kolarova, ASU – 7-5, 3-6, 4-2 unf.
Order of finish: 4, 2, 5, 1, 3