Netters kick off season against Weber State

PROVO -- For the fifth consecutive year, the No. 36 BYU men’s tennis team will open its season against Weber State at the Indoor Tennis Courts on Friday.

The Cougars will be hitting the court for the first time since November when the squad concluded a successful fall season. Senior Spencer Smith led BYU in singles, dropping only two matches during fall play. Smith won the singles title at both the Utah Fall Classic and the University of Utah Intercollegiates. Freshman Keaton Cullimore took home another title for BYU when he partnered with high school star John Pearce, head coach Brad Pearce’s son, to earn the Utah Fall Classic doubles title.

During the fall tournament season, members of the BYU team played opponents from Weber State at the University of Utah Intercollegiates and the ITA Mountain Region Championships. The Cougars went a perfect 4-0 against WSU in singles throughout the fall while the Wildcats took the doubles series, winning three of the four matchups.

History favors the home team as BYU owns a 57-5 all-time record against Weber State.

BYU starts the 2011 season with three nationally-ranked singles players. Senior Georgy Batrakov is ranked No. 43 in the ITA rankings. Cullimore is No. 67 and sophomore Patrick Kawka is at No. 106.

Weber State is represented in the ITA rankings by the No. 43 duo of senior Simon Unger and sophomore Oliver Good.

The match kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts. The courts are located south of the Smith Fieldhouse.

As always at home matches, pizza and prizes will be provided. Cosmo will make a special appearance. Spectators may park in the “Y Lot” parking lots southwest and northwest of the courts. Admission is free.