BYU Women's Tennis Extends Winning Streak with 5-2 Victory Over Utah State

BYU women's tennis defeated Utah State 5-2 on Friday, marking the team's fourth consecutive victory and its eighth straight win over the Aggies.

Li, Tina 0895Li, Tina 0895

LOGAN, Utah — BYU women's tennis defeated Utah State 5-2 on Friday, marking the team's fourth consecutive victory and its eighth straight win over the Aggies.

The Cougars (4-0, 0-0 Big 12) extended their winning streak against the Aggies to eight matches. The victory also marked BYU's first 4-0 start since 2021, when the team opened the season with five consecutive victories.

Doubles

Astle/Dunyon (BYU) def. Ozturk/Hilario (USU) 7-6 (4)
Kovick/Sawhney (BYU) def. Kukreti/Pureco (USU) 6-1
Li/Wheatley (BYU) def. Sanchez/Brilhante (USU) 6-2

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1

All three BYU doubles teams led the Aggies 3-1 at the start before Kovick and Sawhney extended their lead to 4-1.

Astle and Dunyon also increased their lead to 4-1, while Utah State's Sanchez and Brilhante cut their deficit to 3-2. Kovick and Sawhney clinched the first doubles match for the Cougars, 6-1.

After two consecutive victories, Li and Wheatley extended their lead to 5-2 before securing the doubles point for BYU, 6-2.

Even though the Cougars had already clinched the doubles point, Astle and Dunyon's match continued, leading the Aggies 6-6 (5-1) before winning 7-1 in a tiebreak.

Singles

Tina Li (BYU) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (USU) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
Kaavya Sawhney (BYU) def. Ana Paula Chavez Sanchez (USU) 6-2, 6-4
Laura Fernanda Eugenio De Hilario (USU) def. Jacque Dunyon (BYU) 7-6 (4), 6-2
Kara Wheatley (BYU) def. Niyati Kukreti (USU) 6-1, 6-0
Indya Nespor (USU) def. Kendall Kovick (BYU) 4-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0 (10-6)
Emilee Astle (BYU) def. Magdalena Nunez Pureco (USU) 7-6 (3), ret.

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 6

After trailing 2-0, Dunyon fought back to even the score at 2-2 in the first set. Later, Dunyon and Hilario were tied again at 5-5, and 6-6, before Dunyon fell in the tiebreak, 7-6 (4).

Li and Sawhney both took early 3-1 leads in their matches. Sawhney won her first set 6-2, while Li fell 6-4 in hers.

Sawhney overcame a 2-0 deficit in her second set, eventually winning 6-4 and securing the first singles victory of the afternoon for BYU.

Li led 3-1 in the third set against Ozturk, who then evened the score at 3-3. The match continued closely, with Li securing a thrilling victory by breaking ahead 6-5 and then completing the win with a 40-love game.

Wheatley quickly took a 3-0 lead in her first set, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 victory, marking the third singles win for BYU.

Kovick and Nespor were tied at various points in their match before Nespor won the tiebreak in the second set and secured the victory with a 10-6 win in the third set tiebreaker.

Astle led 3-1 in her first set before she and Pureco were tied 5-5 before Astle went on to win 7-6 (7-3). Pureco retired before the second set began, giving Astle the victory. 

The Cougars will next face in-state rival Utah in Salt Lake City on Feb. 9, with the match set to start at 5 p.m.