BYU women’s tennis takes down No. 11 Baylor, falls to Illinois

LAS VEGAS – BYU women's tennis traveled for its first competition of the 2022 season, the Bella the Ball Collegiate Invitational against No. 11 Baylor and Illinois last weekend, going 1-1 overall.

The Cougars opened the Invitational Saturday with an upset over Baylor, defeating the Bears 4-3. 

BYU’s doubles were strong going 2-1 against Baylor. Senior Anastasia Abramyan and freshman Bobo Huang won their matchup against Alicia Herrero and Isabella Harvison, 6-3 in the No.1 spot. Junior Emilee Astle and sophomore Kara Lin earned the Cougars’ second doubles win, taking down Alina Shcherbinina and Anita Sahdiieva, 6-3 as well. Senior Leah Heimuli and freshman Jacque Dunyon fought hard in their matchup against Paula Baranano and Ana Carmen Zamburek, ultimately falling in the tiebreaker 6-7(4).

The Cougars and Bears split wins in singles going 3-3 overall. Heimuli took on Harrison in the No.1 spot, defeating her in straight sets 6-3, 6-4. Abramyan took her second win of the day, sweeping Herrero 6-1, 6-3. BYU’s final win in singles came from freshman Madison Smith, beating Zamburek 6-4, 6-4. Huang fought hard in her match against Sahdiieva, going to three sets, ultimately falling 6-3, 5-7, 8-10. Dunyon was defeated by Shcherbinina 5-7, 4-6, along with Astle who fell to Baranano 4-6, 1-6.

BYU competed against Illinois on the final day of the Invitational, falling 2-5.

In doubles Abramyan and Huang did not finish their match against Kate Duong and Megan Heuser, ending with a 5-1 advantage. Heimuli and Dunyon were defeated by Josie Frazier and Ashley Yeah 1-6, along with Astle and Lin who fell 1-6 to Emily Casati and Kasia Treiber.

The Cougars went 2-4 in singles. Abramyan collected her second singles victory in a hard-fought battle against Frazier 6-1, 2-6, 6-4. Smith earned her second win of the invitational defeating Kida Ferrari in a back-and-forth match 7-5, 1-6, 6-0. Heimuli fell to Duong 3-6, 1-6, along with Dunyon’s defeat by Yeah 3-6, 3-6. Huang lost her final singles match to Heuser, going to three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 0-6 and Astle’s loss came against Trieber 5-7, 3-6.

BYU will travel to take on Washington State Jan. 21 and Washington on Jan. 22 in their next two matchups.