Saturday, February 11
Seattle, WA
6:30 PM
University of Washington
4
vs
3
Vanderbilt
Sato Delivers Huskies To Upset Of No. 9 Vanderbilt
February 12, 2023 | Women's Tennis
SEATTLE HOSTS THE ITA NATIONAL TEAM INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday, Feb. 10 - Monday, Feb. 13
Nordstrom Tennis Center and Seattle Tennis Club
Sunday, Feb. 12
Washington vs. (4) Duke, 6:30 p.m., Nordstrom
Live Match Coverage
SEATTLE – Senior Hikaru Sato believed she was better than anyone. Until she finally won her match, and then she couldn't believe the result. But the Huskies and their fans in the Nordstrom Tennis Center were believers after a 4-3 upset of 9th-ranked Vanderbilt at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, finally ended near 11 p.m. by Sato in an 8-6 third-set tiebreaker.
"I can't believe it," said Sato, the native of Tokyo, who is playing No. 1 singles for the Huskies for the first time this year. "During the match, I believed that I can win, that I'm better than anyone. But right after match point, I thought what is this? It's a dream? But I think the biggest thing for me to win was my belief in myself that I was better than anyone. Also, when I looked behind me, there were so many U-Dub fans, and I knew if I won it's going to be the best, and it was the best."
Washington was hoping for just such a win with the opportunity to host the elite national tournament, with fifteen of the top-17 nationally ranked teams coming to Seattle. UW fell on Friday to No. 1 Texas, but took advantage of another top-10 match-up in the back draw tonight. Tomorrow the Huskies have another marquee opponent in No. 4 Duke at 6:30 p.m. in the Nordstrom to finish their tourney run.
After wins in singles from Erika Matsuda, Astrid Olsen, and another marathon win from Jennifer Kerr had the match at 3-3, it came down to Sato and Celia-Belle Mohr at the No. 1 spot. Mohr, ranked 34th nationally, won the first set, 6-2, but Sato responded with a 6-2 second set win. Mohr retook control of the match, however, getting out to a 4-1 lead in the third, but Sato broke back and got even at 4-4. She went up for the first time at 6-5, and that game went to a deciding point that would have ended it there, but Mohr saved it to force a tiebreak and the drama intensified.
Down 1-2 in the tiebreak, Sato won four points in a row for a 5-2 lead. She got her first match point of the tiebreak, and second of the match, at 6-4, but Mohr again wouldn't go down, and evened it up at 6-6. A huge point ensued when Sato was on the run and stretched out to smack a crosscourt winner past Mohr at the net to go back ahead, 7-6, for a fourth match point chance. On the next rally, Mohr pulled a shot wide to end it, and Sato was mobbed by the Dawgs, then showed great sportsmanship by going to congratulate each Commodore player.
"These matches are just unbelievable and being able to host it and get this win on our courts is just amazing," said Head Coach Robin Stephenson. "Last night we were pretty heartbroken after that loss and we felt we left some chances on the table, and the girls were determined to change that. Before the tournament we talked about belief, that we belong and we're here to win.
The Huskies (6-2) played from behind most of the match, but had a shot trailing 2-3 with Sato and Jennifer Kerr both fighting in third sets on opposite sides of the tennis center. Even at No. 4 singles, Kerr's opponent, Bridget Stammel, was ranked 27th nationally in singles, showing the talent and depth of Vanderbilt. But Kerr got her biggest win since joining the Huskies this season from Columbia. She rallied to upset Stammel, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, winning the final three games in a row, to even the match at 3-3.
"I told them we were going to have a moment at some point this weekend; we thought it could be last night against Texas, but then I told them it was going to be tonight, and they showed up and made that happen. I'm just really proud of the effort these first two days. We're excited to go again tomorrow."
Matsuda, the freshman, provided the first point of the tournament for the Huskies and evened the match at 1-1 when she beat Amy Stevens at No. 6 singles, 6-3, 6-3. Olsen upset another ranked Commodore, beating No. 85 Holly Staff, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 3 spot.
Washington Women's Tennis
ITA National Team Indoor Championships – Back Draw
February 11, 2023
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis Center
Washington – 4
#9 Vanderbilt – 3
Singles
1. Hikaru Sato (UW) def. (#34) Celia-Belle Mohr (Van) – 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6)
2. (#66) Anna Ross (Van) def. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) – 6-2, 6-3
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. (#85) Holly Staff (Van) – 6-1, 6-4
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. (#27) Bridget Stammel (Van) – 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Anessa Lee (Van) def. Melissa Sakar (UW) – 6-4, 6-4
6. Erika Matsuda (UW) def. Amy Stevens (Van) – 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 2, 3, 5, 4, 1
Doubles
1. Ross/Staff (Van) def. Matsuda/Olsen (UW) – 7-5
2. Sato/Suko (UW) vs. Stammel/Cruz (Van) – 6-6, DNF
3. Mohr/Lee (Van) def. Fortin/Kerr (UW) – 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 1
Friday, Feb. 10 - Monday, Feb. 13
Nordstrom Tennis Center and Seattle Tennis Club
Sunday, Feb. 12
Washington vs. (4) Duke, 6:30 p.m., Nordstrom
Live Match Coverage
SEATTLE – Senior Hikaru Sato believed she was better than anyone. Until she finally won her match, and then she couldn't believe the result. But the Huskies and their fans in the Nordstrom Tennis Center were believers after a 4-3 upset of 9th-ranked Vanderbilt at the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, finally ended near 11 p.m. by Sato in an 8-6 third-set tiebreaker.
"I can't believe it," said Sato, the native of Tokyo, who is playing No. 1 singles for the Huskies for the first time this year. "During the match, I believed that I can win, that I'm better than anyone. But right after match point, I thought what is this? It's a dream? But I think the biggest thing for me to win was my belief in myself that I was better than anyone. Also, when I looked behind me, there were so many U-Dub fans, and I knew if I won it's going to be the best, and it was the best."
Come for match point of a Top-10 win … stay for Hika congratulating every member of Vanderbilt and the ???? and ?? ??#GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/s8WgMthfPO
— Washington Women's Tennis (@UW_WTennis) February 12, 2023
Washington was hoping for just such a win with the opportunity to host the elite national tournament, with fifteen of the top-17 nationally ranked teams coming to Seattle. UW fell on Friday to No. 1 Texas, but took advantage of another top-10 match-up in the back draw tonight. Tomorrow the Huskies have another marquee opponent in No. 4 Duke at 6:30 p.m. in the Nordstrom to finish their tourney run.
After wins in singles from Erika Matsuda, Astrid Olsen, and another marathon win from Jennifer Kerr had the match at 3-3, it came down to Sato and Celia-Belle Mohr at the No. 1 spot. Mohr, ranked 34th nationally, won the first set, 6-2, but Sato responded with a 6-2 second set win. Mohr retook control of the match, however, getting out to a 4-1 lead in the third, but Sato broke back and got even at 4-4. She went up for the first time at 6-5, and that game went to a deciding point that would have ended it there, but Mohr saved it to force a tiebreak and the drama intensified.
Down 1-2 in the tiebreak, Sato won four points in a row for a 5-2 lead. She got her first match point of the tiebreak, and second of the match, at 6-4, but Mohr again wouldn't go down, and evened it up at 6-6. A huge point ensued when Sato was on the run and stretched out to smack a crosscourt winner past Mohr at the net to go back ahead, 7-6, for a fourth match point chance. On the next rally, Mohr pulled a shot wide to end it, and Sato was mobbed by the Dawgs, then showed great sportsmanship by going to congratulate each Commodore player.
"These matches are just unbelievable and being able to host it and get this win on our courts is just amazing," said Head Coach Robin Stephenson. "Last night we were pretty heartbroken after that loss and we felt we left some chances on the table, and the girls were determined to change that. Before the tournament we talked about belief, that we belong and we're here to win.
The Huskies (6-2) played from behind most of the match, but had a shot trailing 2-3 with Sato and Jennifer Kerr both fighting in third sets on opposite sides of the tennis center. Even at No. 4 singles, Kerr's opponent, Bridget Stammel, was ranked 27th nationally in singles, showing the talent and depth of Vanderbilt. But Kerr got her biggest win since joining the Huskies this season from Columbia. She rallied to upset Stammel, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, winning the final three games in a row, to even the match at 3-3.
"I told them we were going to have a moment at some point this weekend; we thought it could be last night against Texas, but then I told them it was going to be tonight, and they showed up and made that happen. I'm just really proud of the effort these first two days. We're excited to go again tomorrow."
ALL TIED UP?? Jennifer Kerr takes the final three games to win in three ????
— Washington Women's Tennis (@UW_WTennis) February 12, 2023
Hikaru serving at 4-5
Intensity ?? #GoHuskies pic.twitter.com/uMm5dNn3HX
Matsuda, the freshman, provided the first point of the tournament for the Huskies and evened the match at 1-1 when she beat Amy Stevens at No. 6 singles, 6-3, 6-3. Olsen upset another ranked Commodore, beating No. 85 Holly Staff, 6-1, 6-4, at the No. 3 spot.
Washington Women's Tennis
ITA National Team Indoor Championships – Back Draw
February 11, 2023
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis Center
Washington – 4
#9 Vanderbilt – 3
Singles
1. Hikaru Sato (UW) def. (#34) Celia-Belle Mohr (Van) – 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6)
2. (#66) Anna Ross (Van) def. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) – 6-2, 6-3
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. (#85) Holly Staff (Van) – 6-1, 6-4
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. (#27) Bridget Stammel (Van) – 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
5. Anessa Lee (Van) def. Melissa Sakar (UW) – 6-4, 6-4
6. Erika Matsuda (UW) def. Amy Stevens (Van) – 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 6, 2, 3, 5, 4, 1
Doubles
1. Ross/Staff (Van) def. Matsuda/Olsen (UW) – 7-5
2. Sato/Suko (UW) vs. Stammel/Cruz (Van) – 6-6, DNF
3. Mohr/Lee (Van) def. Fortin/Kerr (UW) – 6-4
Order of finish: 3, 1
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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