FAIRFIELD, Calif. – In a late-night semifinal match under the lights, No. 51 San Diego women's tennis gutted out a 4-2 victory over Washington State on Thursday at Green Valley Country Club, advancing to the in the West Coast Conference Tournament championship match for a third straight season.
The second-seeded Toreros, who had swept the third-seeded Cougars 4-0 in San Diego just six days prior, found things considerably tighter the second time around in a match that was nearly swept again and instead nearly went the distance, only to be saved by a USD freshman.
San Diego claimed the doubles point to open, winning on courts two and three. The freshman pairing of Vilma Krebs Hyllested and Maria Shmakova set the tone on court two with a 6-3 win over Ava-Monet Sycamore and Eva Alvarez Sande. The junior duo of Charlotte Keitel and Kristina Nordikyan followed with a hard-fought 7-5 victory on court three over Zali Morris and Yura Nakagawa to clinch the point. Court one was left unfinished at 4-5.
In singles, sophomore Hannah Read got San Diego on the board first, posting a dominant 6-0, 6-2 win over Martina Puvill on court three to push the Toreros' lead to 2-0. Anni Moll then extended the advantage on court six with a clean 6-1, 6-4 victory over Ava-Monet Sycamore to make it 3-0.
Washington State responded with back-to-back points to pull even, however, with narrow wins on courts two and four.
With the championship berth on the line, it came down to freshman Maria Shmakova on court five against Chisato Kanemaki. After dropping the first set 5-7, Shmakova steadied herself and won the next two 6-3, 6-3 to clinch the semifinal victory and send the Toreros through to the final. Keitel's match on court one against No. 95 Eva Alvarez Sande — knotted at 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 4-4 — was left unfinished with the outcome decided.
Up Next
The Toreros punch their ticket to the title match tomorrow vs. one seed and national No. 11 Pepperdine, taking place at 2 p.m. from the Green Valley Country Club.
Results
#51 [2] San Diego 4, [3] Washington State 2
April 24, 2026 | Fairfield, Calif. – Green Valley Country Club
San Diego (13-9) | Washington State (16-8)
Doubles
1. Anni Moll/Hannah Read (USD) vs. Maxine Murphy/Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 4-5, unfinished
2. Vilma Krebs Hyllested/Maria Shmakova (USD) def. Ava-Monet Sycamore/Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) 6-3
3. Charlotte Keitel/Kristina Nordikyan (USD) def. Zali Morris/Yura Nakagawa (WSU) 7-5
Singles
1. Charlotte Keitel (USD) vs. #95 Eva Alvarez Sande (WSU) 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 4-4, unfinished
2. Maxine Murphy (WSU) def. Vilma Krebs Hyllested (USD) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
3. Hannah Read (USD) def. Martina Puvill (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Yura Nakagawa (WSU) def. Ines Leon (USD) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Maria Shmakova (USD) def. Chisato Kanemaki (WSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
6. Anni Moll (USD) def. Ava-Monet Sycamore (WSU) 6-1, 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles -- 2, 3; Singles -- 3, 6, 2, 4, 5
