PROVO, Utah – For the fourth consecutive year, the No. 45 BYU men’s tennis team defeated in-state rival Utah 5-2 on Saturday at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts.
With the win, the Cougars (10-2) earned three points for the Deseret First Duel. The Duel is now tied at 19 points.
“My hat is off to Utah for not folding up the tent and going home,” BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. “I told our guys earlier this week to expect some ebbs and flows to this match, and I think we certainly got that. It’s a rivalry match; those are the things we have come to expect.”
Keaton Cullimore and John Pearce struck first with an 8-6 doubles win against Ben Tasevac and Cedric Wilems. Utah answered as Dmytro Mamedov and Alejandro Medinilla topped Travis Fillmore and Spencer Smith 8-4.
The No. 59 duo of Patrick Kawka and Francis Sargeant secured the doubles point for BYU as they defeated Slim Hamza and Devin Lane 8-5 on Court 1.
In singles play, Cullimore finished first with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Lane on Court 4. The Utes struck back with a win of their own on Court 2 as Smith fell to No. 79 Hamza 6-2, 6-2.
On Court 1, No. 74 Kawka won his first set, lost the second, then came from behind to secure a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 win over Mamedov. Minutes later, Sargeant clinched the Cougar win with his 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3 victory on Court 3.
The Cougars’ next duel is at home March 9 at 1:30 MST against conference opponent San Diego.
Doubles
1. #59 Kawka/Sargeant (BYU) def. Hamza/Lane(UTAH) 8-5
2. Mamedov/Medinilla (UTAH) def. Fillmore/Smith (BYU) 8-4
3. Cullimore/Pearce (BYU) def. Tasevac/Willems (UTAH) 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
1. #74 Patrick Kawka (BYU) def. Dmytro Mamedov (UTAH) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. #79 Slim Hamza (UTAH) def. Spencer Smith (BYU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Francis Sargeant (BYU) def. Alejandro Medinilla (UTAH) 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3
4. Keaton Cullimore (BYU) def. Devin Lane (UTAH) 6-1, 6-2
5. Andrey Goryachkov (BYU) def. Rafael Davidian (UTAH) 7-6(1), 6-2
6. Ben Tasevac (UTAH) def. John Pearce (BYU) 6-2, 6-4
Order of finish: 4, 2, 1, 3, 6, 5