Abramyan's big third set carries BYU past Washington State

PROVO, Utah – Senior Anastasia Abramyan dominated the third set of her singles match against a nationally-ranked opponent to give BYU (13-6, 2-1 WCC) a 4-3 victory over Washington State at the Outdoor Tennis Courts Thursday afternoon.

BYU started out the day with two dominant performances in doubles. Emilee Astle and Kara Lin picked up a fast, 6-0, win over Fifa Kumhom and Yang Lee. The BYU No. 3 doubles team is a perfect 3-0 since teaming up. Leah Heimuli and Madeline Wanlass clinched the doubles point for BYU with a 6-3 win over Michaela Bayerlova and Pang Jittakoat. The doubles sweep fell just short as Abramyan and Helen Jiao dropped their match, 6-3, to Hikaru Sato and Melisa Ates.

Jiao completed the first singles match of the day, decisively defeating Kumhom, 6-0, 6-3. Jiao has now won 10 of 11 matches and is 13-4 on the season. Jittakoat gave Washington State its first point of the day when she defeated Lin in the No. 4 spot, 6-2, 6-4. Washington State tied the match at two following Savanna Ly-Nguyen’s 7-5, 6-2 win over Astle in No. 5 singles.

Heimuli continued her recent success in singles play, winning her seventh consecutive match. After beating Sato 7-5 in the first set, Heimuli dominated the second, pulling out a 6-1 victory to give BYU a 3-2 lead. Just a couple of minutes later, Wanlass suffered her first loss of the year (9-1) in a 7-5, 6-4 defeat to Ates.

The match came down to the battle on Court 1. Abramyan took the first set, 7-5, but No. 86 Bayerlova answered with a 7-6 (4) win in the second. Abramyan attacked early in the third frame and jumped out to a fast 3-0 lead. Momentum stayed on the side of BYU as Abramyan took a commanding 5-0 advantage. Bayerlova fought to win the sixth game and seventh games, but it wasn’t enough. Abramyan went on to win the set, 6-2, to give the Cougars their ninth home win of the year.

The Cougars return to conference play on Saturday, April 3 when they face the Gonzaga Bulldogs. The match will be played at the BYU Outdoor Tennis Courts and is slated to begin at 11 a.m. MT. Live stats will be available.

MATCH RESULTS

BYU 4, Washington State 3

Doubles Competition

1. Hikaru Sato/Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Anastasia Abramyan/Helen Jiao (BYU), 6-3

2. Leah Heimuli/Madeline Wanlass (BYU) def. Michaela Bayerlova/Pang Jittakoat (WSU), 6-3

3. Emilee Astle/Kara Lin (BYU) def. Fifa Kumhom/Yang Lee (WSU), 6-0

Order of finish: (3, 2, 1)

Singles Competition

1. Anastasia Abramyan (BYU) def. No. 86 Michaela Bayerlova (WSU) 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2

2. Leah Heimuli (BYU) def. Hikaru Sato (WSU), 7-5, 6-1

3. Helen Jiao (BYU) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU), 6-0, 6-3

4. Pang Jittakoat (WSU) def. Kara Lin (BYU), 6-2, 6-4

5. Savanna Ly-Nguyen (WSU) def. Emilee Astle (BYU), 7-5, 6-2

6. Melisa Ates (WSU) def. Madeline Wanlass (BYU), 7-5, 6-4

Order of finish: (3, 4, 5, 2, 6, 1)