BYU Women’s Tennis Rallies Past Denver, 4–2

PROVO, Utah — BYU women’s tennis earned a 4–2 victory over the University of Denver on Saturday morning at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts, rebounding from a doubles-point loss by taking four singles matches to secure the team win.

“I’m really proud of the way this group responded after dropping the doubles point,” BYU head coach Holly Hasler said. “We showed toughness and composure in singles, and winning four matches against a very tough team says a lot about our belief and competitiveness. To come away with two wins this weekend shows the growth and grit of this team.”

DOUBLES

Denver claimed the doubles point with wins on Courts 2 and 3, but BYU opened doubles play with a strong performance on Court 1.

Gracie Leveston and Karina Mohamed were first off the court, earning a 6–3 win over Hana Becirovic Novak and Marley Lambert. After Denver took the opening game, BYU responded behind the serve of Leveston, who delivered multiple service aces, while Mohamed controlled the net with aggressive cross-court put-aways. The BYU duo used a late surge, highlighted by Leveston’s unreturnable serves and Mohamed’s finishing at the net, to pull away and close out the set.

On Court 3, Bella Lewis and Sue Yan Tan dropped a 6–4 decision to Zoe Adkins and Natalie Cinkova. The set remained tight early, with BYU leveling the score multiple times, but Denver strung together late points to take control and even the doubles slate.

The doubles point was decided on Court 2, where Yunfei Cai and Louise Wikander edged Kendall Kovick and YuYun Chen in a 7–6 tiebreaker. BYU fought off several late-game deficits to force the tiebreaker, with YuYun Chen delivering a service ace late and Kovick answering with a cross-court winner to knot the score at 6–6. Denver pulled away in the tiebreaker to secure the doubles point.

SINGLES

BYU responded in singles play, winning four of the five completed matches to clinch the team victory.

Kovick was first off the court on Court 2, securing a 6–4, 7–5 win over Lambert. Kovick battled through multiple deuce games and extended rallies in the opening set before closing out the set late. In the second set, Kovick again delivered in key moments, breaking serve in the closing game to give BYU its first singles point.

On Court 1, Leveston and Wikander traded momentum in a three-set battle. After dropping the first set 6–1, Leveston responded with a dominant second set, featuring multiple service aces and aggressive baseline play to take the set 6–1. Wikander regrouped in the third set, pulling away late to secure the match and Denver’s second point.

Tan provided a pivotal comeback on Court 3, rallying past Adkins 3–6, 6–4, 6–0. After dropping the opening set, Tan stayed composed in the second, capitalizing on late errors to even the match before dominating the third set, winning six straight games to swing momentum back to BYU.

Chen followed with another three-set comeback on Court 4, defeating Cinkova 5–7, 7–5, 6–3. Chen faced multiple deuce games late in the second set before closing out the frame, then carried the momentum into the third, where she built separation with steady baseline play and well-timed net approaches.

Sage Bergeson clinched the team win on Court 5 with a 6–2, 6–3 victory over Cai. Bergeson jumped out to an early lead in the first set and continued to apply pressure in the second, closing out the match with consistent returns and aggressive forehand winners.

The match on Court 6 between Lewis and Novak was halted when the team score was decided, with Lewis trailing 2–6, 4–5 at the time play was stopped.

Up Next

The Cougars continue their homestand Friday, Feb. 20, with matches against Weber State at 11 a.m. MST and Colorado State at 5 p.m. MST at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts.