PROVO -- Although BYU tennis players experienced both wins and losses Friday at the BYU Invitational, every match was positive for them as they focused on performance rather than wins and losses.
"We've seen some great tennis today," said BYU head coach Craig Manning. "We don't care so much about the wins and losses right now because that isn't completely in our control. Winning is a byproduct of great performances and that's what we're focusing on and learning from this tournament."
Cougar senior Lauren Jones is the only player still alive in the singles draw of either flight one or two as she beat Utah's Liz Ferris in the most exciting match of the day. The last time the two met Ferris beat Jones and she won the first set of Friday's match in a close tiebreak.
"It was an emotional match and I had to work hard to keep my composure after the tiebreak," Jones said.
With that composure, Jones rose to the occasion after being broken in the second set to go down 4-3. She quickly won the next three points and took the second set in professional fashion. The third set stayed on serve until Lauren broke Ferris to go up 5-3 and give herself the chance to serve for the match. With double match point, the left-handed Jones hit a cross-court backhand that Ferris could only hit long and Jones walked away with the victory. With that win, BYU players are now 6-1 against players from Utah in the tournament, the only loss coming in a doubles match yesterday in which Ferris and Leigh Walsh beat Jones and Sofia Holden 8-6.
Jones' teammate Anastasia Sourkova lost in three sets to Colorado State's Emily Kirchem, a loss from which Sourkova did not take long to learn.
"I missed a few at the beginning of the second set and got into negative thinking," Sourkova said. "I got down on myself and stopped being positive. It's great to play in these early tournaments, though, because you really learn what you need to fix; mine is mental right now."
Sourkova bounced back in doubles play with Jenny Miccoli and beat Kirchem and her teammate, Laura Neal, 8-2. In the finals match against Boise State's Polina Kokoulina and Tatiana Ganzha, Sourkova and Miccoli dominated from the start and won 8-5.
In other doubles action, the finals of flight two will be all BYU with Hayasaka and Dolly Change facing off against Breanna Williamson and Jocelyn Jensen Saturday at 11 a.m. The singles finals of both flights will be held at the same time. Consolation matches will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the BYU outdoor tennis facility.
All matches are open to the public and admission to the tournament is free. The BYU outdoor tennis courts are located just south of the Smith Fieldhouse and the entrance is on the east side. In the case of inclement weather, play will resume at the indoor tennis facility adjacent to the outdoor courts. Public parking available in all BYU lots all day Saturday.
To view the bracket, visit www.edraws.com/byu and click on the BYU Invitational link. OPE stands for flight one and A stands for flight two.