BYU falls to Denver, 6-1

DENVER, Colo. – BYU women’s tennis (6-3) was defeated by Denver (4-3), 6-1, at the Denver Tennis Park on Saturday. The Cougars head back to Provo after going 0-2 on the Colorado road trip.

In the No. 1 match, Anastasia Abramyan and Helen Jiao had the tall task of playing No. 36 Taylor Melvill and Hada Chang. Abramyan and Jiao were able to defeat the Pioneers duo decisively, 6-2. It was the first win against a nationally ranked opponent of the season for the Cougars.

Leah Heimuli and Emilee Astle battled tight with Britt Pusell and Camille Verden-Anderson but were defeated, 7-6 (8) in one of the closest matches of the day. In the No. 3 slot, Qianxin Kong and Kara Lin lost to Toni Nelson and Anna Riedmiller, 6-2, and the Cougars lost the doubles point for only the third time all season. BYU is 1-2 in those three matches.

The Pioneers carried the momentum earned in doubles play, winning five of the six singles contests. After defeating Melville in doubles, Abramyan couldn’t duplicate the result in the singles match, losing, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (3). Riedmiller defeated Heimuli, 6-3, 7-5. Astle battled Pursell, but came up short, 6-3, 6-3.

Lin matched up with Verden-Anderson in the No. 4 match, but Verden-Anderson came away with the victory, 6-1, 6-0. Jiao tallied the lone win on the day for the Cougars in dominant fashion, 6-2, 6-1. With the win, Jiao moved to 5-3 on the season. In the No. 6 spot, Denver’s Nelson defeated Kong, 6-3, 6-0, for the second time of the day.

BYU will play its seventh and eighth consecutive road matches next week when it travels to Eugene, Oregon. The Cougars will play the Oregon Ducks on Friday, Feb. 26 and Seattle University on Saturday, Feb. 27. The Ducks will head into the match with a record of 5-1.

MATCH RESULTS

BYU 1, Denver 6

Doubles Matches

1. Anastasia Abramyan/Helen Jiao (BYU) def. No. 36 Taylor Melville/Hada Chang (DU), 6-2

2. Britt Pusell/Camille Verden-Anderson (DU) def. Leah Heimuli/Emilee Astle (BYU), 7-6 (8)

3. Toni Nelson/Anna Riedmiller (DU), def. Qianxin Kong/Kara Lin (BYU), 6-2

Singles Matches

1. Taylor Melville (DU) def. Anastasia Abramyan (BYU), 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (3)

2. Anna Riedmiler (DU) def. Leah Heimuli (BYU), 6-3, 7-5

3. Britt Pursell (DU) def. Emilee Astle (BYU), 6-3, 6-3

4. Camille Verden-Anderson (DU) def. Kara Lin (BYU), 6-1, 6-0

5. Helen Jiao (BYU) def. Tatum Burger (DU), 6-2, 6-1

6. Toni Nelson (DU) def. Qianxin Kong (BYU), 6-3, 6-0