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SPOKANE, Wash.-After an exhausting, tense, and hotly-contested dual match that lasted well over four hours, the Gonzaga University women's tennis team remained unbeaten with a 4-3 win over Idaho that will surely be considered an instant classic.

Freshman Haruna Tsuruta clinched the match with a three-set singles win that lasted well over three hours. After trading set wins in the first two frames - Tsuruta won the first, opponent Ana Batiri took the second - Tsuruta got off to a roaring start in the third, winning the first four games. Around that time, Domonique Garley capped off her win at No. 6 singles, tying the dual at 3-all and giving court five the role of match clincher. Batiri then rallied, winning five straight games to step onto the brink of victory.

Then, on Batiri's serve, Tsuruta re-gained the momentum winning the first three points of the next game. She finished off the break and held her own serve to go up 6-5. Batiri then forced a tiebreak by holding serve, but Tsuruta took a 3-0 lead in the extra frame and never looked back, closing out for a 7-4 win and capping the biggest match of her young career.

"For Haruna, as a freshman coming back after being sick, that's a great win," said Gonzaga head coach D.J. Gurule. "She fought through a lot of obstacles. Her strength is that she's a competitor, and she'll compete until the bitter end. That paid off in dividends today."

Tsuruta's win capped off the Zags' rally from down 1-3 in the dual. Graciela Rosas picked up a three-setter of her own for the Zags' second point of the dual. She fought from a 0-5 deficit in the first set to take the frame en route to another three-set point for the Zags. Garley went three as well, playing in two set tiebreakers before tying the dual.

The Vandals opened the match by claiming the doubles point, winning the final two pairs matches in tiebreaks. Sophie Whittle then evened the match for Gonzaga by downing the Vandals' Lucia Badillos in two sets once singles play started. Idaho re-took the lead with the next two matches to finish, Nos. 3 and 1 singles, which also went three sets. On court No. 1, Nevada Apollo battled for a long time with foe Marianna Petrei before falling 6-2, 4-6, 6-2. It was Apollo's first-ever match atop the singles lineup.

In all, five of Friday night's singles matches went three sets, there were six set tiebreaks between singles and doubles play, and the dual itself took 4:12 to complete.

"For our team to come through when we're not playing exceptionally well is a testament to their commitment to compete. We did a great job of competing today," said Gurule. "There were a lot of opportunities to head down the wrong path, but they didn't. All six girls in singles and all six girls in doubles never gave up, and that was a difference-maker."

Gonzaga (4-0) will return to play next weekend with a pair of matches. The Zags host Montana on Friday, Feb. 24 at 4:00 p.m. before hosting Utah State on Sunday, Feb. 26, at 10:00 a.m. Both contests will once again be held at The Stevens Center, and live stats and video for both may be found at www.GoZags.com.

Gonzaga 4, Idaho 3

Feb 17, 2017 at Spokane, Wash.

The Stevens Center

Singles:

1. Petrei, Marianna (UI) def. Apollo, Nevada (GON) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2

2. #102 Whittle, Sophie (GON) def. Badillos, Lucia (UI) 7-5, 6-1

3. Rosas, Graciela (GON) def. Brzozowska, Jessica (UI) 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-0

4. Tavares, Maria (UI) def. Bourguignon, Alex (GON) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1

5. Tsuruta, Haruna (GON) def. Batiri, Ana (UI) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4)

6. Garley, Domonique (GON) def. Watabe, Shion (UI) 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-1)

Doubles:

1. Petrei, Marianna/Badillos, Lucia (UI) def. WHITTLE, Sophie/KETELS, Kate (GON) 7-6 (7-5)

2. Tavares, Maria/Batiri, Ana (UI) def. APOLLO, Nevada/GARLEY, Domonique (GON) 7-6 (7-4)

3. BOURGUIGNON, Alex/ROSAS, Graciela (GON) def. Brzozowska, Jessica/Watabe, Shion (UI) 6-2

Match Notes:

Idaho 4-3

Gonzaga 4-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,4,1,3,6,5)

T-4:12 A-53