Saturday, April 22
Seattle, WA
12:00 PM
University of Washington
7
vs
0
Washington State
Huskies Sweep Boeing Apple Cup, 7-0
April 22, 2023 | Women's Tennis
SEATTLE β A rivalry showdown wrapped up the regular season for the Husky women's tennis team at the Nordstrom Tennis Center today. 22nd-ranked Washington honored their seniors on Senior Day by sweeping Washington State in the annual Boeing Apple Cup Series, winning the doubles point and going on to add all six singles points. The Dawgs finish out their regular season with a 16-7 record and will head into the Pac-12 Tournament with a 6-4 conference record.
Β
Pre-match, the team honored seniors Ashley Chang, Hikaru Sato, and Jennifer Kerr. Sato and Kerr both got singles wins on potentially their final matches on the purple courts, although UW will be hoping to make a run at the Pac-12 Championships and be in the mix for a top-16 NCAA seed to host first and second round matches.
Β
Sato, Washington's No. 1 singles player all season, said she wasn't too emotional because she doesn't want it to be the final match at home.
Β
"I still feel it's not the last match yet so I don't feel too emotional," she laughed. "I'm so happy I could win in front of so many Husky fans who cheered and supported me. A big reason I could win today was that I could focus on every point, not caring about the overall score."
Β
Head Coach Robin Stephenson said, "Senior Day is always special obviously, and the team wanted to play well for them. Special for Hika and Jenn to get wins today. We came out really well in doubles, and we've been really good on our home courts this year and I think the girls feel a ton of confidence here. Really good to get another conference win and give us some momentum going into Pac-12s, and we've got some big goals for the postseason so excited to get to Ojai."
Β
Washington started off the Apple Cup showdown strong after securing the early doubles point. Zehra Suko and Sarah-Maude Fortin got the first win for the Dawgs, losing only one game to Lee/AbouelsaadΒ (6-1) at No. 3 doubles. With the remaining courts both approaching the finish line in sync, it was the dynamic duo of Jennifer Kerr and Astrid Olsen that clinched the doubles point for the Dawgs; they defeated Nakagawa/Kumhom (6-2) at No. 2 doubles.
Β
The Huskies carried this momentum into singles and went on to collect all the match points for the afternoon.
Β
Sarah-Maude Fortin won first at No. 2 singles, losing just two games in her first set and going undefeated in her second set to defeat Yura Nakagawa, 6-2, 6-0. Melissa Sakar set the Huskies up for success after remaining perfect through both sets and defeating Yang Lee, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 6 singles. It was the outstanding freshman, Erika Matsuda, that kept the Apple Cup bragging rights on the westside of the state after she won both sets, 6-2, 6-1, over Hania Abouelsaad at No. 5 singles.
Β
The afternoon matches were all played out, giving the Huskies the opportunity to sweep the Cougars. Hikaru Sato dominated on her Senior Day and beat Eva Alvarez Sande in mirror sets, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 1 singles. Jennifer Kerr and Astrid Olsen both went into third set tiebreaks but were able to pull off wins for the Dawgs. Kerr won her third set 10-7, defeating Fifa Kumhom, 6-0, 3-6, 1-0, at No. 4 singles. Olsen wins her third set tiebreak 10-8, defeating Elyse Tse Β 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 at No. 3 singles.
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The Huskies will head to Ojai, California on Tuesday to prepare for the Pac-12 Tournament.
Β
Β
Washington Women's Tennis
April 22, 2023
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis Center
Β
#22 Washington β 7
Washington State β 0
Β
Singles
1. (#107) Hikaru Sato (UW) def. Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) β 6-1, 6-1
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) β 6-2, 6-0
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. Elyse Tse (WSU) 5-7, 6-4, (10-8)
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) β 6-0, 3-6, (10-7)
5. Erika Matsuda (UW) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) β 6-2, 6-1
6. Melissa Sakar (UW) def. Yang Lee (WSU) β 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 6, 5, 1, 4, 3
Β
Doubles
1. (#65) Matsuda/Sato (UW) vs. (#50) Tse/Alvarez Sande (WSU) β 5-2, DNF
2. Kerr/Olsen (UW) def. Nakagaway/Kumhom (WSU) β 6-2
3. Fortin/Suko (UW) def. Lee/Abouelsaad (WSU) β 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 2
Β
Pre-match, the team honored seniors Ashley Chang, Hikaru Sato, and Jennifer Kerr. Sato and Kerr both got singles wins on potentially their final matches on the purple courts, although UW will be hoping to make a run at the Pac-12 Championships and be in the mix for a top-16 NCAA seed to host first and second round matches.
Β
Sato, Washington's No. 1 singles player all season, said she wasn't too emotional because she doesn't want it to be the final match at home.
Β
"I still feel it's not the last match yet so I don't feel too emotional," she laughed. "I'm so happy I could win in front of so many Husky fans who cheered and supported me. A big reason I could win today was that I could focus on every point, not caring about the overall score."
Β
Head Coach Robin Stephenson said, "Senior Day is always special obviously, and the team wanted to play well for them. Special for Hika and Jenn to get wins today. We came out really well in doubles, and we've been really good on our home courts this year and I think the girls feel a ton of confidence here. Really good to get another conference win and give us some momentum going into Pac-12s, and we've got some big goals for the postseason so excited to get to Ojai."
Β
Washington started off the Apple Cup showdown strong after securing the early doubles point. Zehra Suko and Sarah-Maude Fortin got the first win for the Dawgs, losing only one game to Lee/AbouelsaadΒ (6-1) at No. 3 doubles. With the remaining courts both approaching the finish line in sync, it was the dynamic duo of Jennifer Kerr and Astrid Olsen that clinched the doubles point for the Dawgs; they defeated Nakagawa/Kumhom (6-2) at No. 2 doubles.
Β
The Huskies carried this momentum into singles and went on to collect all the match points for the afternoon.
Β
Sarah-Maude Fortin won first at No. 2 singles, losing just two games in her first set and going undefeated in her second set to defeat Yura Nakagawa, 6-2, 6-0. Melissa Sakar set the Huskies up for success after remaining perfect through both sets and defeating Yang Lee, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 6 singles. It was the outstanding freshman, Erika Matsuda, that kept the Apple Cup bragging rights on the westside of the state after she won both sets, 6-2, 6-1, over Hania Abouelsaad at No. 5 singles.
Β
The afternoon matches were all played out, giving the Huskies the opportunity to sweep the Cougars. Hikaru Sato dominated on her Senior Day and beat Eva Alvarez Sande in mirror sets, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 1 singles. Jennifer Kerr and Astrid Olsen both went into third set tiebreaks but were able to pull off wins for the Dawgs. Kerr won her third set 10-7, defeating Fifa Kumhom, 6-0, 3-6, 1-0, at No. 4 singles. Olsen wins her third set tiebreak 10-8, defeating Elyse Tse Β 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 at No. 3 singles.
Β
The Huskies will head to Ojai, California on Tuesday to prepare for the Pac-12 Tournament.
Β
Β
Washington Women's Tennis
April 22, 2023
Seattle, Wash. | Nordstrom Tennis Center
Β
#22 Washington β 7
Washington State β 0
Β
Singles
1. (#107) Hikaru Sato (UW) def. Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) β 6-1, 6-1
2. Sarah-Maude Fortin (UW) def. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) β 6-2, 6-0
3. Astrid Olsen (UW) def. Elyse Tse (WSU) 5-7, 6-4, (10-8)
4. Jennifer Kerr (UW) def. Fifa Kumhom (WSU) β 6-0, 3-6, (10-7)
5. Erika Matsuda (UW) def. Hania Abouelsaad (WSU) β 6-2, 6-1
6. Melissa Sakar (UW) def. Yang Lee (WSU) β 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 6, 5, 1, 4, 3
Β
Doubles
1. (#65) Matsuda/Sato (UW) vs. (#50) Tse/Alvarez Sande (WSU) β 5-2, DNF
2. Kerr/Olsen (UW) def. Nakagaway/Kumhom (WSU) β 6-2
3. Fortin/Suko (UW) def. Lee/Abouelsaad (WSU) β 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 2
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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