BYU Overpowers Washington State Despite Strong Showing from Alvarez Sande
In a Friday afternoon clash at the BYU Indoor Tennis Facility, Washington State ran into a red-hot BYU squad that flexed its depth and momentum from start to finish. Despite a standout performance from senior Eva Alvarez Sande at the top singles spot, the Cougars from Pullman couldn’t keep pace, falling 6-1 to a BYU team that’s now won eight of its first nine matches.
Let’s break it down.
Doubles Set the Tone Early
The afternoon kicked off with doubles, and BYU wasted no time grabbing control. At No.
3, Bella Lewis and Sue Yan Tan came out firing, earning a 6-2 win over WSU’s Martina Puvill and Ava-Monet Sycamore. That early point set the tone, but it was the top two doubles courts that delivered the drama.
On Court 2, BYU’s Kendall Kovick and Yuyun Chen found themselves in a tight one against Alvarez Sande and Yura Nakagawa. With the match knotted late, a key break of serve helped Kovick and Chen pull away for a 6-4 win that clinched the doubles point for the Cougars.
Meanwhile, on Court 1, Maxine Murphy and Chisato Kanemaki had BYU on the ropes, leading 5-4. But Gracie Levelston and Karina Mohamed flipped the script, rattling off the final three games to take it 7-5 - a momentum-shifting finish that gave BYU a clean sweep in doubles.
Alvarez Sande Stays Steady at No. 1
Washington State’s lone bright spot came courtesy of their senior leader. Alvarez Sande showed poise and precision at the top singles spot, breaking serve in each set to earn a convincing 6-3, 6-3 win over BYU’s Gracie Levelston. It was a composed, veteran performance - the kind of match you expect from a player who’s been through the battles.
BYU Dominates the Middle of the Lineup
But BYU answered quickly - and emphatically - in the rest of singles play.
On Court 2, Kendall Kovick found another gear. After a 3-3 start in the opening set against Maxine Murphy, she reeled off nine of the next ten games, cruising to a 6-3, 6-1 win that pushed BYU closer to the finish line.
Sue Yan Tan followed suit on Court 3, fending off Nakagawa in a tight second set to close out a 6-3, 7-5 victory. And at No. 4, Chen had to work for it - needing a first-set tiebreaker against Puvill - but once she secured that opener, she settled in for a 7-6, 6-3 win.
Battles at the Bottom
Even with the match decided, the fight didn’t stop on Courts 5 and 6.
Kanemaki took Sage Bergeson the distance at No. 5, rallying to force a third-set tiebreak before falling just short, 6-3, 6-7, 10-6. And Sycamore came out strong at No. 6, taking the first set off Bella Lewis. But Lewis responded with grit, winning the second in a tiebreak and pulling away in the match tiebreak, 3-6, 7-6, 10-4.
What’s Next
The loss drops Washington State to 3-2 on the season, while BYU continues its impressive start, improving to 8-1.
WSU won’t have much time to dwell on this one. They’re back in action Saturday morning in Salt Lake City, where they’ll take on Utah in another road test. For a team still finding its rhythm early in the season, it’s another chance to reset, regroup, and respond.