MEMPHIS -- In the first matches of the season, the BYU women’s tennis team started off strong in the Memphis Winter Invitational, grabbing a doubles point from Missouri and four singles points from Memphis Thursday and Friday.
The tournament started Thursday with singles play against Memphis. Megan Price beat Courtney Collins 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Freshman Callie Craig defeated Stefanie Mikesz 6-1, 6-2.
Desiree Tran, the Cougars’ newest player, made her debut with a victory against Andrea Arques-Garcia (1-6, 6-4, 6-2) and senior Liza Ezhova soundly defeated Kelly Gray (6-1, 6-0).
In the No. 2 position, Elle Carney fell to Mariya Slupska and Aubrey Paul fell to Kathleen Hawkins.
Friday began with doubles against Missouri, with Carney and Price defeating Kaitlyn Ritchie and Mallory Weber 8-6 and Craig and Paul defeating Maria Christensen and Jamie Mera 8-5.
Tran and Ezhova lost their match to Annemijn Koenen and Rachel Stuhlmann.
Friday’s singles matches were tough for the Cougars, with only Craig defeating her Ole Miss opponent.
Saturday, the Cougars will take on Ole Miss in doubles at 10 a.m. MT and Memphis and Missouri in singles starting at 3:30 p.m. MT.
Memphis Winter Invitational
Day One
Memphis-2 BYU-4
Singles
1. M. Price (BYU) def. C. Collins (Memp.) (6-3, 1-6, 6-3
2. M. Slupska (Memp.) def. E. Carney (BYU) 6-2, 6-3
3. C. Craig (BYU) def. S. Mikesz (Memp.) 6-1, 6-2
4. D. Tran (BYU) def. A. Arques-Garcia (Memp.) 1-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. L. Ezhova (BYU) def. K. Gray (Memp.) 6-1, 6-0
6. K. Hawkins (Memp.) def. A. Paul (BYU) 7-5, 5-7, 11-9
Day Two
Mizzou-0 BYU-1
Doubles
1. Carney/Price (BYU) def. Ritchie/Weber (Mizzou) 8-6
2. Craig/Paul (BYU) def. Christensen/Mera (MIzzou) 8-5
3. Koenen/Stuhlmann (Mizzou) def. Tran/Ezhova (BYU) 8-0
Ole Miss-5 BYU-1
Singles
1. K. Boxx (Ole Miss) def. M. Price (BYU) 6-3, 6-4
2. C. Vogel (Ole Miss) def. E. Carney (BYU) 6-1, 6-1
3. C. Craig (BYU)def. L. von de Stroet (Ole Miss) 6-2, 6-1
4. A. Guthrie (Ole Miss) def. D. Tran (BYU) 6-3, 6-3
5. V. Vlaar (Ole Miss) def. E. Ezhova (BYU) 7-5, 7-6 (2)
6. G. Rangel (Ole Miss) def. A. Paul (BYU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2