BOISE -- Despite two come-from-behind wins in singles, the BYU men's tennis team fell to the University of New Mexico Saturday 4-3 in the Region 7 Team Indoor National Playoff.
"It was a heartbreaking loss for us," head coach Brad Pearce said. "Our team really fought hard and gave a valiant effort. I'm just really proud of the way they competed."
Had the Cougars toppled the Lobos, they would have advanced to the final round of the playoff hosted by Boise State. Instead, New Mexico will face Boise State in search for the nod to advance to the National Indoor Championship in February.
New Mexico earned its first match point when they defeated the Cougars in two of the three doubles matches. BYU's Nima Roshan and Jose Lechuga lost to Ryan Stotland and David Kowalski in a close 8-6 decision while Cougar duo Chip Hand and Alonzo Medina fell to Henry Gers and Jasmin Hadzic 8-6.
The Cougars earned their first two points of the day in singles when Lechuga and Hand fought from being down at match points to defeat their opponents in three set matches. BYU's third point was received when third seeded Roshan ousted Hiroud Akhaban in another tough three set match decision 7-6, 3-6, 6-4.
BYU's No. 1 seed Erik Nyman nearly came from behind to defeat Divan Coetzee for the second time this year only to fall in the last set 6-3. Nyman defeated Coetzee in the quarterfinals of the Icy Hot ITA All-American Tournament last month 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
"We went down fighting," Pearce said. "We pushed almost all of our matches to three sets and really dug in. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough."
BYU vs. NEW MEXICO
Singles:
Divan Coetzee (UNM) def. Erik Nyman (BYU) 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
David Kowalski (UNM) def. Richard Dasek (BYU) 7-6, 6-4
NIma Roshan (BYU) def. Hiroud Akhaven (UNM) 7-6, 3-6, 7-5
Jose Lechuga (BYU) def. Ryan Stotland (UNM) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6
Christian Hand (BYU) def. Henry Gers (UNM) 3-6. 7-5, 6-4
Jasmin Hodzic (UNM) def. Alonso Medina (BYU) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Doubles:
Kowalski/Stotland (UNM) def. Roshan/Lechuga (BYU) 9-7
Coetzee/Akhavan (UNM) def. Dasek/Nyman (BYU) DNF
Gers/Hodzic (UNM) def. Medina/Hand (BYU) 8-6