LAS -- Veterans, and Utah Invitational doubles champions, Cassidy Mears and Jonathan Sanchez were victorious once again as they ousted their first opponents at the Wilson ITA Division I Mountain Regional Championships on Thursday.
Recording its fifth straight win, the BYU duo defeated New Mexico's Miles Bugby and Derek Lynch in an 8-4 match. The duo will advance to the doubles round of 16 tomorrow to face the No. 13 seed from UNLV.
"[Mears and Sanchez] did a great job," said head coach Brad Pearce. "It was a big win for our team. They knew we needed the points and were intense from the beginning. It was a decisive win."
Due to unfortunate scheduling in singles play, two Cougars were pitted against each another in the round of 32 main draw. Freshman Thomas Shubert won a tough three-game match against Sanchez, defeating his teammate 6-0, 4-6, 6-3.
Shubert advanced to play No. 3 seed Elliot Wronski from UNLV. Though the Cougar was defeated by his Mountain West Conference foe, 6-4, 6-3, Pearce was impressed by his young player's performance.
"Thomas played a terrific match," said Pearce. "It's probably the best match I've seen in college tennis. He showed that he'll be a great college player and has potential to play at the next level."
Also competing in the round of 32, Evan Urbina fell to the No. 10 seed, Boise State's Piotr Dilaj (6-2, 7-5).
As BYU heads into the third day of play, six Cougars will compete in the singles consolation draw, including, Mears, Shubert, Sanchez, Urbina, Daniel Hwang and Thomas Young.
"Overall, yesterday there were some high points for our team but we finished with some low notes due to doubles losses," said Pearce. "Today I challenged the team to do better and we came out strong. I'm pleased with the team's effort."
Singles consolation matches will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, with doubles action following at 3:30 p.m.
RESULTS
T. Shubert (BYU) def. J. Sanchez (BYU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-3
P. Dilaj (BSU) def. E. Urbina (BYU) 6-2, 7-5
W. Wronski (UNLV) def. T. Shubert (BYU) 6-4, 6-3
Singles Consolation
C. Mears (BYU) def. J. Dybala (MSU) 6-4, 6-3
T. Clonts (BYU) def. M. Perkins (MSU) 6-1, 0-6, 6-0
D. Hwang (BYU) def. F. Gallegos (USU) 6-1, 6-2
T. Young (BYU) def. J. Taylor (Utah) 6-2, 6-4
B. Rogers (AFA) def. A. Young (BYU) 6-2, 7-5
C. Mears (BYU) def. S. Sarapanich (BSU) 6-4, 6-1
M. Pijoan (ISU) def. T. Clonts (BYU) 6-4, 6-3
D. Hwang (BYU) def. A. Maharaj (Utah) 6-0, 6-4
T. Young (BYU) def. R. Chalkley (UI) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
Mears and Sanchez (BYU) def. Bugby and Lynch (UNM) 8-4
Doubles Consolation
Borkowski and Ramos (UM) def. Clonts and Young (BYU) 8-5