BYU tennis player Polina Malykh clinches a 5-2 win over Weber State

OGDEN, Utah – In its first dual match of the season, BYU (1-0) took a 5-2 win over Weber State (0-1) in competitive match play, Friday.

"There were a lot of positives in today's match," said BYU women's tennis head coach Holly Parkinson Hasler. "It was great having Kate [Cusick] back playing at such a high level, after being out with an injury most of the fall season. Our doubles chemistry is improving, and I was impressed with the problem solving, mental toughness and will to win as a team today. Weber came out strong, and we fought through and pulled out some very tough three-set matches."

Polina Malykh and Madeline Almeida took the first win of the day, 7-5, in a tight No. 2 doubles match against Weber’s Sara Parker and Pei-Hsuan Kuo. To take the doubles point, Samantha Smith and Taylah Beckman defeated Megan Lombardi and Cali Fuller, 6-4, in No. 3 doubles. Anastasia Abramyan and Kate Cusick left an unfinished No. 1 doubles match at 6-6 with Caitlin Herb and Yuuna Ukita.

BYU's Smith faced Fuller again in No. 4 singles, taking the first singles win 6-4, 6-2. The Wildcats evened up the match at 1-1 in the No. 6 singles position when Morgan Hall fell to Lombardi 1-6, 1-6. Capitalizing on the lead, Weber took a second match when Cusick was defeated by Herb 6-0, 1-6, 4-6.

However, the tides turned in BYU’s favor when Almeida, in No. 5 singles, took the advantage over Morgan Dickason to win a three-set match 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1). After falling in the first set of No. 3 singles, Malykh came back to win her match. She defeated Ukita 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-4 and clinched the fourth point for the Cougars. To conclude match play, and take a fifth point, Abramyan followed up with a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) win.

The Cougars will take advantage of a week off to prepare for their next dual match in Colorado on Saturday, Feb. 2, at 11:00 a.m. MST against the University of Denver.

Doubles
1. Anastasia Abramyan/Kate Cusick (BYU) vs. Caitlin Herb/Yuuna Ukita (WSU) 6-6, unfinished
2. Polina Malykh/Madeline Almeida (BYU) def. Sara Parker/Pei-Hsuan Kuo (WSU) 7-5
3. Samantha Smith/Taylah Beckman (BYU) def. Megan Lombardi/Cali Fuller (WSU) 6-4

Singles
1. Caitlin Herb (WSU) def. Kate Cusick (BYU) 6-0, 1-6, 4-6
2. Anastasia Abramyan (BYU) def. Pei-Hsuan Kuo (WSU) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
3. Polina Malykh (BYU) def. Yuuna Ukita (WSU) 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 6-4
4. Samantha Smith (BYU) def. Cali Fuller (WSU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Madeline Almeida (BYU) def. Morgan Dickason (WSU) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1)
6. Megan Lombardi (WSU) def. Morgan Hall (BYU) 6-1, 6-1