Four Cougars triumph in first round at regionals

LAS -- Four players bounded through the first singles round of regionals for the BYU men’s tennis team, getting the Cougars off to a good start at the ITA Mountain Region Championships Wednesday.

Spencer Smith and Tyler Loong took their respective matches in straight sets. Smith defeated Alex Clinkenbeard of Denver 6-4, 6-0, and freshman Loong of Orem, Utah, beat Colton Pate of Idaho State 6-3, 6-1.

Roman Warias won his match against Alex Thatcher of Utah State 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Freshman Patrick Kawka also took his match in three sets, after dropping a close first set to Alejandro Medinella of Utah (6-7, 6-3, 6-0).

No. 2 seed Thomas Shubert and No. 5 seed Evan Urbina had byes in the Round of 128 and will start their runs in the tournament in Thursday’s Round of 64.

Ricardo Campos and Warias went up against David Cysneiros and Carl Kuschke in the first round of doubles, but fell 8-6 to the pair from Montana.

No. 2 seed Shubert and Smith and No. 6 seed Kawka and Urbina skipped the first round and will compete in the second round of doubles. Shubert and Smith will play Utah’s Devin Lane and Medinella and Kawka and Urbina will match up with Felipe Frattini and Orlando Superlano of New Mexico State.

Rain in Las Vegas delayed Wednesday's morning start at the Darling Tennis Center. Play began at 11 a.m. after drying the courts, but some games were postponed until Thursday.

For more tournament information and results, click here.