No. 44 Cougars drop close match to No. 70 Lobos

BYU vs. New Mexico box score

ALBURQUERQUE—After dropping the doubles point for only the third time this season, the No. 44 BYU men's tennis team lost 4-3 to No. 70 New Mexico Friday.

"Give credit to New Mexico," BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. "Their players made plays and put the ball in the court when they needed to. We didn't play like a team that is ranked No. 44 in the nation, but we'll lick our wounds, learn the lessons that need to be learned and put time in on the practice court."

The Lobos (5-11, 0-0 MWC) won the first point of the match. New Mexico’s No. 16-ranked duo of Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen defeated Jeremy Bourgeois and Aidan Carrazedo 6-3 to win the first match of doubles play. John Pearce and Jacob Sullivan got things started for the Cougars by defeating New Mexico’s Ricky Hernandez-Tong and Jorge Escutia 6-3 as well to even the score. However, the Lobos would rally from behind to win the second match of doubles play, as Augustus Ge and Rodolfo Jauregui defeated Andrey Goryachkov and Keaton Cullimore 7-5 to secure the doubles point for New Mexico.

BYU (11-2, 2-0 WCC) rebounded from losing the doubles point during the singles matches. Shane Monroe defeated Sabtaka 6-2, 6-3 in the No. 1 spot to claim the first point of the match. Hernandez-Tong claimed the second point for the Lobos, defeating Sullivan 6-3, 6-4. The Cougars evened the match at 2-2, as Pearce defeated Sean Baklini 7-6, 6-0.

Cullimore put the Cougars ahead 3-2 in the match, defeating Van Leijsen 6-4, 7-5. Ge tied the match up, defeating Bourgeois 7-5, 6-4. The deciding match went New Mexico’s way as Goryachkov and Escutia fought through three sets. Escutia eventually ended up on top, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

The Cougars will head to Los Angeles on Thursday, Mar. 10 to face No. 6 UCLA. Fans can follow the action live.