PALM SPRINGS -- With their seventh victory in a row, the BYU men's tennis team defeated the College of Desert, 5-2, in Palm Springs, California on Saturday afternoon. The win improves the Cougars to 7-4 on the season.
In probably the toughest doubles point of the year, BYU's Carlos Lozano and Gert Vilms were involved in a rare defeat, losing to Rodrigo Gorelli and Carlos Palencia. 8-3. At No. the 2 and No. 3 spots, the Cougars won the doubles point by winning in two tie-breakers. Anton Rudjuk and Jeff Harbach defeated Martin Aldersson and Richard Dichek, 9-8 and Jeff Olsen and Eric Nyman defeated Kuni Minoto and Jamie Maxwell, also 9-8.
"We started off by winning doubles, but had to save about six match points to do it," said BYU coach Jim Osborne. "We won in two tie-breakers, and we were down at least three points in each."
BYU won at the two, three, four and six spots to get the 5-2 victory. The Cougars open up Mountain West Conference play next week when they host New Mexico, Air Force and Utah on March 22, 23 and 24.
RESULTS: BYU 5 College of Desert 2Doubles:
#1 Gorelli/Palencia def. Vilms/Lozano 8-3 CD
#2 Rudjuk/Harbach def. Aldersson/Dichek 9-8 BYU
#3 Olsen/Nyman def. Minoto/Maxwell 9-8 BYU
Singles:
#1 Rodrigo Gorelli def. Gert Vilms 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 CD
#2 Carlos Lozano def. Carlos Palencia 6-2, 7-6 BYU
#3 Eric Nyman def. Kuni Minoto 6-3, 6-0 BYU
#4 Michale Gysens def. Richard Dichek 7-5, 6-4 BYU
#5 Afebio Minozi def. Jeff Harbach 7-5, 7-6 CD
#6 Matt Stohl def. Jamie Maxwell 6-3, 6-3 BYU
After a road trip to Boise, Idaho last week where the Cougars defeated Southern Mississippi and Drake University, BYU will be back on the road again as they travel to Palm Springs, Calif. to take on College of Desert Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Cougars improved to 6-4 on the season, winning their last six in a row. The doubles team of Carlos Lozano and Gert Vilms is ranked at No. 17 in the nation. Lozano is No. 95 in singles. After College of Desert, BYU will be back in Provo for three matches before taking the road for three matches.
