Murphy earns upset win in Griz loss to Cougars

Saturday, February 24

Pullman, Wash.

1 PM (MT)

Montana

Washington State

2/24/2024 5:53:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Grizzly sophomore Hailey Murphy continued the hot start to her season, improving to 6-2 on the year with an upset win over Washington State's Yura Nakagawa to highlight a 6-1 loss for the Montana women's tennis team in Pullman on Saturday.

Murphy extended her singles winning streak to four in a row with a 6-2, 6-3, straight-set win over Nakagawa, who lost for just the second time this season.

The Calgary Native has now beaten opponents from Gonzaga, Cal Poly, EWU, Utah State, LC State, and Washington State in her team-high winning record.

Murphy's win was the lone victory for the Griz, with UM falling to 1-7 on the season. The Cougars, meanwhile, improve to 6-2, with five of those six wins coming over Big Sky Conference opponents.

"I like how we pushed Washington State deep in the singles matches. It was great to see Hailey play such a strong match and continue to show what a competitor she is. We keep fighting and giving putting ourselves in positions to earn wins," said head coach Steve Ascher.

Montana opened the dual with three losses in the doubles round, each by a score of 6-3 as the Cougars pulled out to an early team 1-0 lead.

UM's Grace Haugen made her return from injury in the round after missing the last three matches, partnering with Rosie Sterk in a 3-6 loss on court three to WSU's Abouelsaad/Markov pair.

The Cougs then clinched the doubles point with a win on court one where the Sande/Tse duo beating Murphy and Kelsey Phillips 6-3.

In singles, Grizzly senior Olivia Oosterbaan, who has the second-best winning percentage on the team, fell to 3-4 this year with a loss to Elyse Tse in straight sets 0-6, 3-6, to put WSU up 2-0.

After Murphy got the Griz on the board with her win on court two, the Cougars extended their lead to 3-1 Eva Alvarez Sande beat Phillips 6-4, 6-3 on court one.

Washington State then clinched the win on court three, but not without a fight. Maria Goheen rebounded from a loss in the first set to take the second, but eventually fell to Fifa Kumhom in the third 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, putting the Cougars up for good 4-1.

Shivika Agrawal was the next Grizzly to finish, but the sophomore wasn't able to get much momentum going in a 6-0, 6-1, loss to Martina Markov on court six that made the teams score 5-1 in favor of the Cougars.

Much like against Utah State a week ago, Sterk was the last player standing for the Griz on court five and came out firing to earn a win in her first set against Hania Abouelsaad.

The WSU junior bounced back to win the second set in an extra game 7-5, however, and went on to win the match in a superbreaker to beat Sterk 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (7), and give the Cougs the 6-1 team win.

Montana now prepares to open conference play with a trip to Oregon. The Griz head to the Rose City to take on the University of Portland on March 1 before their Big Sky opener at Portland State on March 3.

Washington State 6 def. Montana 1
February 24, 2024
Simmelink Tennis Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse
Pullman, Wash.

DOUBLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande/Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Kelsey Phillips/Hailey Murphy (UM) 6-3
No. 2 Yura Nakagawa/Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Maria Goheen/Olivia Oosterbaan (UM) 6-3
No. 3 Hania Abouelsaad/Martina Markov (WSU) def. Rosie Sterk/Grace Haugen (UM) 6-3
Order of Finish: 3,1,2

SINGLES
No. 1 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) def. Kelsey Phillips (UM) 6-4, 6-3
No. 2 Hailey Murphy (UM) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 6-2, 6-3
No. 3 Fifa Kumhom (WSU) def. Maria Goheen (UM) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
No. 4 Elyse Tse (WSU) def. Olivia Oosterbaan (UM) 6-0, 6-3
No. 5 Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) def. Rosie Sterk (UM) 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-7)
No. 6 Martina Markov (WSU) def. Shivika Agrawal (UM) 6-0, 6-1
Order of Finish: 4,2,1,3,6,5