PALM SPRINGS -- With their seventh victory in a row, the BYU men's tennis team defeated the College of Desert, 5-2, in Palm Springs, California on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Cougars to 7-4 on the season.
In probably the toughest doubles point of the year, BYU's Carlos Lozano and Gert Vilms were involved in a rare defeat, losing to Rodrigo Gorelli and Carlos Palencia. 8-3. At No. the 2 and No. 3 spots, the Cougars won the doubles point by winning in two tie-breakers. Anton Rudjuk and Jeff Harbach defeated Martin Aldersson and Richard Dichek, 9-8 and Jeff Olsen and Eric Nyman defeated Kuni Minoto and Jamie Maxwell, also 9-8.
"We started off by winning doubles, but had to save about six match points to do it," said BYU coach Jim Osborne. "We won in two tie-breakers, and we were down at least three points in each."
BYU won at the two, three, four and six spots to get the 5-2 victory. The Cougars open up Mountain West Conference play next week when they host New Mexico, Air Force and Utah on March 22, 23 and 24.
RESULTS: BYU 5 College of Desert 2
Doubles:
#1 Gorelli/Palencia def. Vilms/Lozano 8-3 CD
#2 Rudjuk/Harbach def. Aldersson/Dichek 9-8 BYU
#3 Olsen/Nyman def. Minoto/Maxwell 9-8 BYU
Singles:
#1 Rodrigo Gorelli def. Gert Vilms 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 CD
#2 Carlos Lozano def. Carlos Palencia 6-2, 7-6 BYU
#3 Eric Nyman def. Kuni Minoto 6-3, 6-0 BYU
#4 Michale Gysens def. Richard Dichek 7-5, 6-4 BYU
#5 Afebio Minozi def. Jeff Harbach 7-5, 7-6 CD
#6 Matt Stohl def. Jamie Maxwell 6-3, 6-3 BYU