Men's Tennis Kicks off Fall Play

PROVO, Utah – The BYU men’s tennis team kicked off fall play on the first day of the Utah Fall Tennis Classic with four Cougars reaching the singles quarterfinals and five Cougars set to make doubles semifinal appearances.

“The Fall Classic is a good way to ease into and prepare for the upcoming ITA events that count on the players’ college records,” said BYU men’s tennis coach Brad Pearce. “This is a great event because it gives our players the opportunity to play different types of players.”

All six BYU players competing in the tournament advanced to the second round of singles, with byes for junior Spencer Smith, sophomore Patrick Kawka and freshman Dean Ormsby.

Freshman David Doehring defeated Utah resident Chandler Howell 6-0, 6-1 before falling to Boise State’s Garrett Patton (6-3, 6-3) in the second round. Ormsby took John Pearce, a senior at Timpview High School and the son of BYU coach Brad Pearce, to three sets before being topped 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.

It will be a star-studded Cougar quarterfinals with a current BYU player making an appearance in each. No. 1 seed Smith defeated rival Utah’s Ace Matias and No. 2 seed Kawka topped Jacob Clark to earn their quarterfinal spots, each only giving up one game. Kawka will go up against a familiar face in the quarterfinals, competing against former Cougar teammate Michael Eraso (06-07, 09-11). Smith will challenge Patton.

Freshmen Francis Sargeant and Keaton Cullimore defeated Utah’s Benjamin Tasevac and Alejandro Medinilla, respectively. Medinilla retired due to injury with the score at 6-4, 6-0. Sargeant will face John Pearce in the quarterfinals while Cullimore takes on Boise State’s Scott Sears.

The doubles competition showcased friendly rivalry among BYU teammates. The No. 1 seeded duo of Sargeant and Smith topped teammate Ormsby and former Cougar Travis Fillmore (08-09) and will compete against Reid and Sears in the semifinals.

Defending doubles champions Cullimore and John Pearce faced a tough battle against Eraso and Calahan Larson before coming out on top, 8-5. The pair will face Doehring and Kawka, who narrowly slipped past Matias and Medinilla in a tiebreaker, in attempts to defend the title.

The tournament continues Friday and Saturday, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the BYU Outdoor Tennis Courts. Admission is free and matches are open to the public.

Spectators may park in the “Y Lot” parking lot after 4 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday.

This event is sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association. The collegiate athletes do not represent their schools in this tournament, but participate as individuals.

To access more information on the tournament, click here.