Cougars Defeat Lobos For Second Conference Win

PROVO -- In a hard-fought contest that wasn't decided until the final game, the BYU women's tennis team pulled out a 5-4 victory over the University of New Mexico.

The Cougars improved to 3-3 on the season, and finished the first weekend of Mountain West Conference play 2-0.

BYU and New Mexico split the singles matches, each winning three. Seniors Eline Chiew and Kim Kelly started off strong for the Cougars, both winning in straight sets. But in the last game of the evening it was two freshmen who secured the victory for BYU. Liza Khoudoiarova and Dominique Reynolds provided the decisive win at number two doubles.

"I can't single out any performances yesterday or today," BYU coach Craig Manning said. "We're playing together as a team. We're trying not to think about the score. We're just trying to play the best we can play."

The Lobos stayed even with the Cougars all the way until the final match.

The Cougars will travel to Madison, Wisconsin, next week to participate in the ITA National Team Indoors, Feb. 16-19.

Singles:						
1. Chiew (BYU) def. Friganovic, 6-0, 6-4			 
2. Alekhova (UNM) def. Khoudoiarova, 6-4, 6-1
3. Reynolds (BYU) def. Hedberg, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
4. Kelly (BYU) def. Spilca, 6-4, 7-5
5. Gerwin (UNM) def. Ferguson, 6-4, 7-5
6. Kurnik (UNM) def. Oswald, 6-4, 6-1
Doubles:
1. Friganovic/Hedberg (UNM) def. Chiew/Oswald, 8-4
2. Khoudoiarova/Reynolds (BYU) def. Gerwin/Pollock, 8-4
3. Ferguson/Kelly (BYU) def. Spilca/Choate, 8-3