LAS CRUCES -- The No. 75 BYU men's tennis team is starting to hit on all cylinders, and it could not have come at a better time. With the Mountain West Conference season beginning Friday against Air Force, the Cougars crushed No. 70 New Mexico State Thursday on the road, 7-0.
BYU dropped three spots in the rankings despite defeating then No. 75 Boise State, 6-1. The win over New Mexico State in dominating fashion gives the Cougars two commanding victories in a row and plenty of confidence heading into MWC play.
In doubles play, the No. 16 tandem of Carlos Lozano and Gert Vilms had no trouble winning their match at No. 1, 8-5. Nic Losee and Erik Nyman continued their recent success by winning at No. 2, 8-6. Jeff Olsen and Jose Luis Lechuga, playing together for the first time this season, also won at No. 3, 9-8. The sweep gave the Cougars the 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
BYU picked up where it left off in doubles play on the way to winning every single match. Lozano, Vilms, Nyman and Losee all won their matches in straight sets. Anton Rudjuk won a tough three-set match at No. 5, while Olsen did the same at No. 6. Lechuga, playing in an exhibition match, also won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1.
The Cougars will play two more matches on this road trip. The Cougars open the MWC season with a match against Air Force in Albuquerque Friday at 10 a.m. BYU will stay in New Mexico to take on the Lobos Saturday afternoon.
FINAL RESULTSDOUBLES
1. No. 16 Lozano/Vilms (BYU) def. Avila/Newcombe (NMSU) 8-5
2. Losee/Nyman (BYU) def. Even/Zivanovic (NMSU) 8-6
3. Lechuga/Olsen (BYU) def. Barthe/Hellwig (NMSU) 9-8
BYU WINS DOUBLES POINT
SINGLES
1. Carlos Lozano (BYU) def. Michael Hellwig (NMSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Gert Vilms (BYU) def. Ben Newcombe (NMSU) 6-4, 7-5
3. Erik Nyman (BYU) def. Luis Avila (NMSU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Nic Losee (BYU) def. Danilo Zivanovic (NMSU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Anton Rudjuk (BYU) def. Ludovic Barthe (NMSU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
6. Jeff Olsen (BYU) def. Dan Even (NMSU) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
BYU WINS MATCH 7-0
