No. 26 ASU women’s tennis cruised to a clean sweep of rival Arizona on Saturday at the Whiteman Tennis Center in Tempe.
Seniors Kassidy Jump, Alex Osborne and Gussie O’Sullivan were honored prior to the match on Senior Day in front of a raucous crowd. But it was sophomore Sammi Hampton’s victory over Arizona freshman Paris Corley that ensured the senior trio would go out on top at home.
"The rivalry means so much," Osborne said. "That is the biggest match, no matter where the rankings stand."
THIS is what it means to be a #SunDevil! pic.twitter.com/x4rsNF0GFr
— Sun Devil Tennis (@sundeviltennis) April 22, 2017
The Sun Devils (13-6, 7-3 Pac-12) earned their third-straight victory over the Wildcats (11-12, 2-7 Pac-12). The win also gave ASU athletics a one-point lead in the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.
"It is nice for the seniors, they have meant so much to this program," head coach Sheila McInerney said. "You always want to do your part and it is nice when you are at home."
ASU won the doubles point with victories on court two and three. Up 2-1 on court two, junior Kelley Anderson and freshman Savannah Slaysman claimed four straight games to win the set, 6-1.
Jump, playing her final doubles match at home, went out in style with Hampton. The court-three pairing defeated junior Devin Chypyha and sophomore Camila Wesbrooks, 6-4.
"For us on Senior Day to get that win against Arizona is always a great feeling," Jump said. "It was great for Sammi (Hampton) and
Senior Kassidy Jump and sophomore Sammi Hampton clinch doubles for ASU with a 6-4 win on court three. @statepresssport #TerritorialCup pic.twitter.com/zyAueoi2QI
— Joe Jacquez (@joejacquezaz) April 22, 2017
With the doubles point secured, ASU needed three wins in singles to clinch the match.
ASU started red hot in singles play. All six Sun Devils took their first sets to jump out to an early advantage.
Ahead 2-1 in the second set, junior Nicole Fossa-Huergo claimed the final four games and the match in straight-sets. Freshman Savannah Slaysman followed Fossa-Huergo with her own straight sets victory. Down 3-2 in the second set, the Phoenix, Arizona native won the next four games against Wildcats freshman Marie Van Aelst.
With the overall match already decided, the other three singles contests on courts one, three and six were abandoned.
The Sun Devil victory, combined with USC’s upset of UCLA, secured a third place finish in the Pac-12 conference for ASU, the highest in program history.
Jump seemed in disbelief that their home career had come to an end after the match.
"For my last match at home it was sad," Jump said. "The crowd was so great this year and playing on court one was such an honor and so fun. I will definitely miss it."
Osborne echoed Jump, saying her experience at ASU has been one she won't forget.
"It's pretty insane," Osborne said. "Four years has just gone so incredibly fast. It is pretty weird to think that I am done, but I am ready to see what comes next."
Up Next:
Five days from now, ASU will compete at the 2017 Pac-12 championships in Ojai Valley, California. The Sun Devils earned a bye as the third seed. They will play the winner of six-seed USC and 11-seed Washington State.
Reach the reporter at jpjacqu1@asu.edu or follow @joejacquezaz on Twitter.
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