TEMPE – Sun Devil Women's Tennis (12-7, 7-4 Big 12) fell to No. 27 Baylor (18-4, 9-3) 4-3 in a 4-hour, 15-minute thriller Sunday afternoon at Whiteman Tennis Center. Arizona State will look to rebound as they travel to Lubbock, Texas to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Friday at 3 p.m. AZT and then Colorado next Sunday.
The team honored Patricija Spaka before the match in their senior day festivities. From Latvia, she's acquired 70 wins in doubles and 60 wins in singles play during her tenure as a Sun Devil. She's had three NCAA Doubles Tournament appearances and played a pivotal role in the team's success the last four seasons.
The Sun Devils took the lead to begin the match, earning the doubles point. The duo of Aiya Nupbay and Emilija Tverijonaite emerged victorious, winning 6-1. Despite Patricija Spaka and Karin Altori losing their match 2-6, the Sun Devils clinched the doubles point thanks to Lily Taylor and Sara Svetac winning 6-3 on court two.
The Bears rallied back in singles with straight set wins on courts three and five before stealing another win on court four to give the Bears a 3-1 lead in the match.
Sara Svetac kept ASU in the match with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory for her fifth straight win and moving to 6-1 in Big 12 play. On court six, Karin Altori dug deep in the third set to help the Sun Devils pull even with the Bears with her victory tying the match at 3-all. It was Altori's second three-set win of the spring.
Emilija Tverijonaite battled on court two with two tiebreakers, winning the opening set with a marathon 7-6, (8-6) win. But she dropped the second-set tiebreak to play a decisive third-set. The sophomore battled until the end, however, the Bears clinched the match 6-4 for the win.
No. 38 Arizona State 3, No. 27 Baylor 4
Doubles Results
1. #43 Cristin Tiglea/Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Patricija Spaka/Karin Altori (ASU) 6-2
2. Lily Taylor/Sara Svetac (ASU) def. Sierra Berry/Na Dong (BU) 6-3
3. Aiya Nupbay/Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) def. Zuzana Kubacha/Kennedy Gibbs (BU) 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles Results
1. #43 Sara Svetac (ASU) def. Liubov Kostenko (BU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
2. Cristin Tiglea (BU) def. #42 Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 6-4
3. Zuzana Kubacha (BU) def. Patricija Spaka (ASU) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
4. Na Dong (BU) def. Lily Taylor (ASU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Nanaka Sato (BU) def. Aiya Nupbay (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Karin Altori (ASU) def. Kennedy Gibbs (BU) 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (5)
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 6, 2
LOOKING AHEAD:
The team will embark on its final road trip of the regular season, facing Texas Tech on Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m. AZT and then face Colorado on Sunday at 1 p.m. AZT.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Continue to follow Sun Devil Women's Tennis on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest coverage this season. Fans can follow on live stats which can be found here.
The team honored Patricija Spaka before the match in their senior day festivities. From Latvia, she's acquired 70 wins in doubles and 60 wins in singles play during her tenure as a Sun Devil. She's had three NCAA Doubles Tournament appearances and played a pivotal role in the team's success the last four seasons.
The Sun Devils took the lead to begin the match, earning the doubles point. The duo of Aiya Nupbay and Emilija Tverijonaite emerged victorious, winning 6-1. Despite Patricija Spaka and Karin Altori losing their match 2-6, the Sun Devils clinched the doubles point thanks to Lily Taylor and Sara Svetac winning 6-3 on court two.
The Bears rallied back in singles with straight set wins on courts three and five before stealing another win on court four to give the Bears a 3-1 lead in the match.
Sara Svetac kept ASU in the match with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory for her fifth straight win and moving to 6-1 in Big 12 play. On court six, Karin Altori dug deep in the third set to help the Sun Devils pull even with the Bears with her victory tying the match at 3-all. It was Altori's second three-set win of the spring.
Emilija Tverijonaite battled on court two with two tiebreakers, winning the opening set with a marathon 7-6, (8-6) win. But she dropped the second-set tiebreak to play a decisive third-set. The sophomore battled until the end, however, the Bears clinched the match 6-4 for the win.
No. 38 Arizona State 3, No. 27 Baylor 4
Doubles Results
1. #43 Cristin Tiglea/Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Patricija Spaka/Karin Altori (ASU) 6-2
2. Lily Taylor/Sara Svetac (ASU) def. Sierra Berry/Na Dong (BU) 6-3
3. Aiya Nupbay/Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) def. Zuzana Kubacha/Kennedy Gibbs (BU) 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles Results
1. #43 Sara Svetac (ASU) def. Liubov Kostenko (BU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
2. Cristin Tiglea (BU) def. #42 Emilija Tverijonaite (ASU) 6-7 (6), 7-6 (3), 6-4
3. Zuzana Kubacha (BU) def. Patricija Spaka (ASU) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
4. Na Dong (BU) def. Lily Taylor (ASU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Nanaka Sato (BU) def. Aiya Nupbay (ASU) 6-4, 6-1
6. Karin Altori (ASU) def. Kennedy Gibbs (BU) 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (5)
Order of finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 6, 2
LOOKING AHEAD:
The team will embark on its final road trip of the regular season, facing Texas Tech on Friday, March 13 at 3 p.m. AZT and then face Colorado on Sunday at 1 p.m. AZT.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Continue to follow Sun Devil Women's Tennis on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook for all the latest coverage this season. Fans can follow on live stats which can be found here.