Cougars Defeat Utah State 6-1

PROVO -- After dropping the doubles point to Utah State, the BYU men's tennis team won at all six singles positions to claim the victory over the Aggies, 6-1.

"A win is a win is a win," said BYU head coach Jim Osborne. "We didn't play too well on doubles but we were able to come back and play tough on singles."

Osborne tried to change up the doubles teams with Carlos Lozano and Erik Nyman out of the lineup, but the experiment didn't work out as he hoped.

"The doubles teams we had today have been playing well together in practice," said Osborne. "But sometimes when you get into match play, things are a little different."

Jose Lechuga and Alonzo Medina were the lone doubles team to win for BYU. They beat Jordan Butler and Jonah Nelson 8-6 at the No. 1 spot. Jeff Olsen and Anton Rudjuk teamed up at the No. 2 position but lost to Brandon Butler and Jason Trask 8-4. Rob Sperry and Jeremy Price played in their first dual match of the season at the No. 3 spot but lost in their debut 9-8 to Bair and Andrew Marsh.

In singles, the Cougars won at every postion. Lechuga stepped into the No. 1 spot and played well, defeating Nelson 6-0, 6-2. Paul Heapy played at the No. 6 singles position and won 6-1, 6-2. Both Olsen and Rudjuk went three sets, but both were able to pull out the victory in the end.

"This was a great opportunity to get some of guys a chance to play," said Osborne. "It will definitely help us at the end of the season."

The Cougars will be back in action next Saturday (Mar. 8) when they host the University of Denver at 11 a.m.

Doubles
Medina/Lechuga (BYU) def. J. Butler/Nelson (USU)	8-6
B. Butler/Trask (USU) def. Olsen/Rudjuk (BYU)		  8-4
Bair/Marsh (USU) def. Sperry/Price (BYU)			      9-8
Singles
Jose Lechuga (BYU) def. Jonah Nelson (USU)		     6-0, 6-2
Jeff Olsen (BYU) def. Jason Trask (USU)			       6-3, 4-6, 6-4
Alonzo Medina (BYU) def. Brandon Butler (USU)		  6-1, 6-4
Anton Rudjuk (BYU) def. Jordan Butler (USU)		    4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Rob Sperry (BYU) def. Jacob Jensen (BYU)			      6-3, 6-0
Paul Heapy (BYU) def. Andrew Marsh (USU)		       6-1, 6-2