PROVO -- The No. 26 BYU Cougars took it down to the final match Saturday, relying on a three-set thriller from Sofia Holden to top No. 40 New Mexico 4-3 at the BYU Outdoor Tennis Courts. The win moves BYU to 15-6 on the year and 3-2 in conference and places New Mexico at 13-4 with a 4-1 record in conference play.
BYU's Sofia Holden and New Mexico's Lucy Scott were in the middle of their match on court four when a three-set Lobo victory knotted the score at 3-3. The tie came when Iva Gersic pulled off a 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 victory over Lauren Jones. Jones had battled back from being down 4-1 in the second set to force a third, but was unable to keep the ball rolling. With a tied score the Cougars rested all of their hopes on Sofia Holden. The sophomore didn't disappoint. After winning the first set 7-6, she had match point in the second to put the Lobos away for good. But Scott battled back to take the lead and eventually the set. That set up set three, where the match become more about who wanted it more and who would tire first than anything else. Scott got on top early, jumping out to a 3-1 lead. But Holden refused to give in, and fought her way back point by point. Holden started pulling away, and at 5-5 came through with a momentum-swinging play. After returning a ball, Holden slipped and fell, but was able to regain her composure and her feet, get to the next ball that came her way and volley her way into winning the point. Holden found new life after that play, and was able to ride it to the eventual 7-5 win to clinch the match.
"The girls have simply been fighting hard and playing hard despite some big challenges," Coach Craig Manning said. "We're just fighting."
As is customary for the Cougars, BYU played a very strong doubles portion of the match and was able to clinch the match's first point and jump out to the 1-0 lead. The best doubles match of the afternoon came from court one, where BYU's Dolly Chang and Sofia Holden met New Mexico's Iva Gersic and Lucy Scott. Straight out of the gate the duos exchanged blows, not allowing their opponent to get any kind of steady rhythm going. The match was tied at 2-2 and 3-3 before the Cougars were able to finally start making a noticeable dent in the Lobo's play. In a match marked by long rallies, beautiful passing shots, and quick reflexes at the net, Chang and Holden were able to hold off New Mexico long enough to take the lead. Once they got the lead at 4-3, they didn't give it up as they played to the 8-4 win.
To go along with the great tennis, two Cougars were honored during the match. It was senior day for lone senior Olga Boulytcheva. The team honored her before the match, and she returned the favor with an 8-2 doubles win with partner Lauren Jones. Although she had to default her singles match because of injury, the doubles victory and match win were a great way for the senior to go out. During the break between the singles and doubles matches, former BYU women's tennis coach and 2002 ITA Hall of Fame Inductee Ann Valentine was awarded the Foundation of Excellence Award BY the BYU Varsity Club to honor her for the foundation she laid in athletics at BYU. Valentine spent 30 years coaching the BYU women's tennis team, arriving in 1965 and leaving the program in 1995. She recognized the many people in attendance that had been with her during her time at BYU, thanking them for the work they had done for the University. She also thanked current New Mexico Coach Kathy Kolankiewicz, whom she knew while coaching at BYU.
"No one receives this award without the assistance of great athletes and great individuals," Valentine said. "People here have left footprints in my life I'll never forget."
The Cougars will get some much-needed rest before heading to Colorado Springs for matches with Wyoming, Colorado State and Air Force next weekend.
BYU 4 UNM 3
Doubles
1.Chang/Holden (BYU) def. Gersic/Scott (UNM) 8-4
2.Sourkova/Miccoli (BYU) def. Kovacek/ABou-Zekry (UNM) 8-5
3.Boulytcheva/Jones (BYU) def. Quintal/Ryba (UNM) 8-2
Singels
1. Iva Gersic (UNM) def. Lauren Jones (BYU) 6-3, 6-7, 6-1
2. Maja Kovacek (UNM) def. Olga Boulytcheva (BYU) Default
3. Anastasia Sourkova (BYU) def. Nora Quintal (UNM) 6-1, 6-2
4. Sofia Holden (BYU) def. Lucy Scott (UNM) 7-6, 6-7, 7-5
5. Ola Abou-Zekry (UNM) def. Dolly Chang (BYU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Jennifer Miccoli (BYU) def. Mackenzie White (UNM) 5-7, 6-2, 6-4