The Oregon women’s tennis team fought their way to a win on Sunday against Washington State, 4-3.
The team’s victory at the Student Tennis Center outdoor courts marked first-year head coach Alison Silverio’s first Pac-12 win.
“For myself and Tony it was our first Pac-12 conference match, and for our freshmen their first ever conference match,” said Silverio. “ It was fun leading up to this weekend, talking to the upperclassmen and the girls who have obviously been in these situations. To have them share their experiences and for us to be prepared mentally was huge.”
Washington State was the first on the board with an 8-0 win by Nastia Vasyukhina and Donika Bsahota over Oregon’s Lina Akesson and Paloma Gomez. The Ducks tied it up at 1-1 when No. 1 doubles team Nia Rose and Alyssa Tobita topped Elizaveta Luzina and Lize Leenknecht, 8-4.
Oregon clinched the doubles point and a 1-0 lead on the day after Nicole Long and Marlous Kluiving got an 8-4 win over WSU’s Maria Biryukova and Victoria Matejevic.
After losses by Akesson and Gomez and wins by Long and Kluiving, the Ducks were up 3-2. Rose dropped her first set 4-6, but battled back against Elizaveta Luzina of Washington State to win the last two sets 6-3, 6-4, and secure Sunday’s win for Oregon.
“It’s definitely nice to clinch. I’ve been working hard this week trying to put in a lot of work,” said Rose on her singles win. “I knew she (Luzina) was going to be a tough player, so I’m glad all the hard work translated today.”
Tobita grinded through a match that lasted for over three hours against Washington State’s Maria Biryukova, but eventually lost 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5.
Sunday’s win marks the first time that Oregon has beat Washington State since 2010. The Ducks are now 6-3 on the season, and only one win away from tying their overall win total from last year (7-15).
The match also marked the return of former Oregon’s men’s tennis standout Robin Cambier. This time, he returned to the courts as an assistant coach for the Cougars.
“It is inspiring to be back in Eugene but on the other side now as a coach,” said Cambier. “I was disappointed that my team couldn’t come up with the win, but it felt good to be back in this place where I built so many great memories.”
Oregon will travel to Utah to play Utah State in Ogden, Utah on Saturday, March 14 at 11 a.m., and then face BYU the next day on Sunday, March 15 in Provo, Utah at 11 a.m.
Final Results:
Singles

1. Nia Rose (ORE) def. Elizaveta Luzina (WSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
2. Maria Biryukova (WSU) def. Alyssa Tobita (ORE) 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5
3. Nicole Long (ORE) def. Lize Leenknecht (WSU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Marlou Kluiving (ORE) def. Donika Bashota (WSU) 6-4, 6-4
5. Victoria Matejevic (WSU) def. Lina Akesson (ORE) 6-0, 6-0
6. Nastia Vasyukhina (WSU) def. Paloma Gomez (ORE) 6-4, 6-1

 
Order of finish: 5, 3, 6, 4, 1, 2
 
Doubles

1. Rose/Tobita (ORE) Luzina/Leenknecht (WSU) 8-4
2. Long/Kluiving (ORE) Biryukova/Matejevic (WSU) 8-4
3. Vasyukhina/Bashota (WSU) def. Akesson/Gomez (ORE) 8-0

 
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Follow Sarah Scrivens on Twitter @sarahescrivens