BYU falls on road in season opener

TULSA, Okla. -- In the season opening match, the BYU women’s tennis team fell on the road to No. 28 Tulsa, 7-0, Saturday at Tulsa.

“We had our opportunities today but didn’t capitalize,” BYU head coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said. “We need to play with more confidence moving forward because we have the talent.”

The Cougars (0-1) played three freshmen in their season opening defeat to the Golden Hurricane (1-0).

In doubles action, BYU had some realistic chances to take the point, but couldn’t sway the momentum. Junior Meghan Sheehan-Dizon paired up with freshman Toby Miclat and lost 6-2 to Samantha Vickers and Isaura Enrique. Junior Morgan Anderson-Littlewood and sophomore Mackenna Maddox narrowly lost to Renata Kuricova and Yelena Nemchen, 7-5.

The match of freshman Mayci Jones and Nicolette Tran versus Maria Sant'Anna and Dobby Leenabanchong went unfinished, but was tied up at 6-6 (1-1) before Tulsa locked up the doubles point.

The underclassmen had a strong showing in singles, but ultimately fell down the stretch. Sophomore Tran took the first set against No. 47 nationally ranked Nemchen, but eventually lost the match in tiebreakers, 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7).

Miclat’s match ended in similar fashion as she took the first set and lost to her opponent in the eventual tiebreakers, 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-4).

The first two singles matches saw the Cougars each go down 6-3, 6-0. Jones lost to No. 48 nationally ranked Vickers and Sheehan-Dizon was defeated by Enrique.

BYU will have a chance to rebound when it travels to Seattle to face No. 45 Washington on January 31 at 1:30 p.m. PST.

#28 Tulsa 7, Brigham Young University 0

Singles competition

1. #48 Samantha Vickers (TULSA) def. JONES, Mayci (BYU) 6-3, 6-0

2. Isaura Enrique (TULSA) def. SHEEHAN-DIZON, Meg. (BYU) 6-3, 6-0

3. #47 Yelena Nemchen (TULSA) def. TRAN, Nicolette (BYU) 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-7)

4. Maria Sant'Anna (TULSA) def. ANDERSON-LITTLEWOOD, Morgan (BYU) 6-4, 6-3

5. Saana Saarteinen (TULSA) def. MICLAT, Toby (BYU) 5-7, 6-2, 1-0 (10-4)

6. Marcelina Cichon (TULSA) def. WARE, Savannah (BYU) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition

1. Samantha Vickers/Isaura Enrique (TULSA) def. SHEEHAN-DIZON, Meg./MICLAT, Toby (BYU) 6-2

2. Maria Sant'Anna/Dobby Leenabanchong (TULSA) vs. JONES, Mayci/TRAN, Nicolette (BYU) 6-6 (1-1), unfinished

3. Renata Kuricova/Yelena Nemchen (TULSA) def. ANDERSON-LITTLEWOOD, Morgan/MADDOX, Mackenna (BYU) 7-5

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (6,2,1,5,4,3)