The Cougars fall in heartbreaking Deseret First Duel matchup, 4-3

PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s tennis team fell 4-3 to Utah in the Deseret First Duel at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts on Saturday.

Polina Malykh continued her winning streak, taking her ninth win in a row. Her 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over Emily Dush in No. 3 singles increased her season record to 10-2.

Kate Cusick and Anastasia Abramyan started doubles strong for the Cougars with a 6-3 victory in the No. 1 position over Utah’s Brianna Chisholm and Madison Tattini. After a tough battle in No. 2, BYU’s Madeline Almeida and Malykh fell to the Ute’s Whitney Hekking and Leah Heimuli 6-4. With doubles tied up, the point came down to the No. 3 position; the Cougars’ Taylah Beckman and Samantha Smith pulled through in a close 7-6 (7-5) match against Utah’s Dush and Lindsay Hung.

In the No. 2 singles matchup, BYU’s Cusick fell to Utah’s Tattini 3-6, 2-6. The Utes then took the lead after the Cougars’ Almeida suffered a tight three-set loss, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 4-6 to Hung in the No. 4 position.

After Malykh’s win in No. 3 singles, BYU’s Abramyan defeated Chisholm in a No. 1 singles 3-5, 7-5, 6-4 match win. Then BYU’s Katie Fitt suffered a loss in another long match, 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 1-6, to Utah’s Hekking in No. 5 singles. The Utes earned the narrow victory in No. 6 singles when Heimuli defeated BYU's Smith in the third three-set match of the day, 3-6, 6-3, 1-6.

The Cougars continue WCC play against Gonzaga on Friday, March 22, at 12 p.m. MDT at the BYU Outdoor Courts. A live stream and live stats will be available on the women’s tennis schedule page.

Doubles

Anastasia Abramyan/Kate Cusick (BYU) def. Brianna Chisholm/Madison Tattini (UTAH) 6-3
Whitney Hekking/Leah Heimuli (UTAH) def. Madeline Almeida/Polina Malykh (BYU) 6-4
Taylah Beckman/Samantha Smith (BYU) def. Emily Dush/Lindsay Hung (UTAH) 7-6 (7-5)

Singles