Cougars drop road match to Harvard

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Senior Jacob Sullivan won the lone victory for the Cougars as BYU fell to Harvard 6-1 at the Murr Center Tennis Courts on Friday afternoon.

"I thought we did everything right in our preparation, Harvard just played better than us today," BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. "On the bright side, we were getting better as the matches progressed. I anticipate that we'll be more acclimated tomorrow against Cornell and we'll perform better."

BYU (2-2) dropped the doubles point for the first time this season as Harvard (3-1) recorded decisive wins at first and second doubles. Sullivan and John Pearce fell 6-2 to the Crimson’s Brian Yeung and Kenny Tao before Jeremy Bourgeois and Matthew Pearce lost their match to Sebastian Beltrame and Jean Thirouin, 6-3.

The Cougars struggled to bounce back in singles as Harvard picked up five consecutive straight-set victories. Bourgeois came up short at No. 1 singles after a 6-4, 6-4 loss to Beltrame. Tao defeated Keaton Cullimore 6-2, 6-1 before Thirouin clinched the win for the Crimson over John Pearce, 6-1, 6-3, at fourth singles.

Sullivan put up a fight to send his match into three sets, defeating Andy Zhou, 3-6, 6-3, (10-4), in the No. 5 singles slot.

BYU takes on its second Ivy League opponent, Cornell, on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 4 p.m. EST at the Murr Center Tennis Courts.

Match Results

Harvard 6 BYU 1

Doubles

1. Yeung/Tao (Harvard) def. Sullivan/J. Pearce (BYU) 6-2
2. Beltrame/Thirouin (Harvard) def. Bourgeois/M. Pearce (BYU) 6-3
3. Morrow/Weber (Harvard) def. Tullis/Cullimore (BYU) 4-3 (DNF)

Order of finish: (1,2)

Singles

1. Beltrame (Harvard) def. Bourgeois (BYU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Tao (Harvard) def. Cullimore (BYU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Yeung (Harvard) def. M. Pearce (BYU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Thirouin (Harvard) def. J. Pearce (BYU) 6-1, 6-3
5. Sullivan (BYU) def. Zhou (Harvard) 3-6, 6-3, (10-4)
6. Solomon (Harvard) def. Tullis (BYU) 6-2, 6-4

Order of finish (1,2,4,6,3,5)