PROVO -- After traveling to Idaho last week, the BYU women’s tennis team will head south to take on Louisville and No. 18 Arizona State this weekend. The Cougars will play both matches in Tempe, Ariz.
“What we’re working toward is more consistency from the lineup, top to bottom,” BYU coach Joey Johnson said. “We want everybody playing to their potential.”
Last week, BYU fell to No. 46 Boise State 5-2. McCall Jones and Megan Price were the only players to get wins on the day, recording a pairs victory together and a singles win apiece. The sophomore duo moved to No. 26 in the rankings and Jones now sits at the No. 53 spot in singles.
“We’re on the cusp,” Johnson said. “Our challenge is to show we can compete at every position on a deeper level.”
Louisville will challenge BYU Friday in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The 7-4 Cardinals are coming off a 6-1 win over Cincinnati and have no players currently in the rankings.
Saturday the Cougars will face 9-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils shot to No. 18 in the rankings after a 4-3 upset of then-No. 13 USC. BYU and ASU last played in 1992 when the Sun Devils came out on the winning end of a 9-0 decision. Kelcy McKenna is the only ranked ASU player, coming in at No. 78. The Sun Devils also have two ranked doubles teams at No. 68 and No. 69.
“Arizona State is a great team, and it will be a tough match,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to see if we can rise to the occasion. We have the skill if we can put it together as a group.”
In the fall, Cougars Kristina Doerr and Jones faced opponents from Arizona State at the Cal Berkeley Invitational. Doerr fell to McKenna in the first round and Jones defeated Ashlee Brown 6-4, 6-0. Jones and partner Megan Price also beat Brown and Sianna Simmons 8-2 in doubles at the same tournament.
First serve Friday is set for 1: 30 p.m. and Saturday’s match begins at 10 a.m. Both matches will take place at the Whiteman Tennis Center.