Provo, Utah (March 10th 2005)--The 24th ranked Cougars have completed the first stage of their Tennis Gauntlet.
It's not basketball's march madness, but to the BYU's women's tennis team which plays 9 matches in the month of March, 7 of those being played in 14 days and four of those seven teams being ranked in the top fifty in the country, it's madness all the same.
The Cougars (8-2) started off their grueling March schedule with a split. Monday, BYU nearly upset 18th ranked Clemson, but couldn't muster enough strength, eventually falling to the Tigers 4-3. The loss was BYU's second of the season, snapping their six game winning streak. Their previous loss was to 12th ranked Washington in early January. On Tuesday, BYU cruised past 31st ranked South Carolina 4-1, before canceling the final two singles matches to make their flight home.
Tomorrow, the Cougars take on in-state rival Utah at 4 p.m. The Utes are currently 8-5 with wins over Kansas, UTEP and Weber State. They are led by freshman Liz Ferris (11-8), who recently beat Kansas' Christine Skoda.
Then Saturday BYU will host 21st ranked Norte Dame. The Fighting Irish are currently 5-5, but all of their loses have come from tough top 15 teams. They boast the country's 59th ranked singles player in Freshman Brook Buck.
BYU then plays Okalahoma State on Monday the 14th, followed by a trip to the Northeast to take on the University of Portland, Friday the 18th, and 29th ranked Oregon the following day.