TEMPE, Ariz. – What a weekend at the Whiteman Tennis Center!
Sun Devil Women's Tennis polished off the weekend with a clutch win over No. 26 UCLA, 4-2, for their first victory over the Bruins since 2017. It was their third top-30 home victory for ASU this season, and second in as many days after topping No. 29 USC Friday, improving to 13-0 this season at Whiteman Tennis Center.
This is the Sun Devils' 18th straight home win of the season in a streak that dates back to March 5, 2022.
Holding a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining, Sedona Gallagher put the Bruins away for good with a three-set victory over Elise Wagle on Court 5. Gallagher was swarmed by teammates and doused with water, a fitting celebration to the one-two punch the Sun Devils handed to a pair of tough conference opponents this weekend.
Gallagher now has 13 wins this season, tying freshman Chelsea Fontenel for second-most on the team.
In singles play, Domenika Turkovic picked up her 11th win of the season, taking down No. 122 Ava Catanzarite in a 6-2, 6-0 victory. Marianna Argyrokastriti picked up the second singles win in a 6-1, 6-2 win over Sasha Vagramov. Rachel Hanford added on another win for the Sun Devils, winning 6-3, 6-2. The Bruins won the next two singles matches to make the match 3-2, but the Sun Devils clinched the match on Gallagher's heroics.
Argyrokastriti continues to be rock-solid for the Sun Devils, as Saturday's win was her team-high 17th of the season.
The Sun Devils had to work to sink the Bruins. They started the afternoon in a 1-0 hole after dropping the doubles point, as the Bruins took Courts 1 and 3. The Gallagher/Morlet duo on Court 2 added their 10th victory of the season, beating Catanzarite/Vagramov by a score of 6-2.
But the furious comeback began by taking five of six first sets in singles play, as three of four wins came in straight sets.
SINGLES
1. #118 Giulia Morlet (ASU) vs. #17 Fangran Tian (UCLA) 6-3, 5-7, 2-2, unfinished
2. #108 Kimmi Hance (UCLA) def. Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
3. Domenika Turkovic (ASU) def. #122 Ava Catanzarite (UCLA) 6-2, 6-0
4. Argyrokastriti, M. (ASU) def. Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 6-1, 6-2
5. Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Elise Wagle (UCLA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-3
6. Rachel Hanford (ASU) def. A. Lutkemeyer (UCLA) 6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES
1. #12 Kimmi Hance/Elise Wagle (UCLA) def. #27 Domenika Turkovic/Patricija Spaka (ASU) 6-4
2. Sedona Gallagher/Giulia Morlet (ASU) def. Ava Catanzarite/Sasha Vagramov (UCLA) 6-2
3. A. Lutkemeyer/Fangran Tian (UCLA) def. Argyrokastriti, M./Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) 7-5
MATCHES VS. PAC-12 OPPONENTS THIS SEASON
Sunday, March 5 vs. Oregon (W, 4-0)
Friday, March 17 at Washington (L, 1-4)
Sunday, March 19 at Washington State (W, 7-0)
Friday, March 31 at Cal (L, 6-1)
Saturday, April 1 at Stanford (L, 4-3)
Friday, April 7 vs. USC (W, 4-1)
Saturday, April 8 vs. UCLA (W, 4-2)
Friday, April 14 vs. Colorado
Saturday, April 15 vs. Utah
Saturday, April 22 at Arizona
The sweep of USC and UCLA comes at a perfect time for the Sun Devils, who used a similar stretch last season by sweeping Cal and Stanford on consecutive days in early April to carry momentum into the postseason. They reached the final of the Pac-12 Tournament in Ojai, California, for the first time in program history.
Playing some of their best tennis of the spring, the Sun Devils now have just three matches left on the slate before returning to Ojai for the conference tournament.
REMAINING HOME MATCHES THIS SEASON
Friday, April 14 vs. Colorado (1:30 p.m. MST)
Saturday, April 15 vs. Utah (12 p.m. MST)
The Sun Devils will host Colorado on April 14 at 1:30 p.m. before hosting their final home dual of the season on April 15 at noon against Utah (Senior Day). Both matches will be broadcasted on the ASU Live Stream.