Title Bound After 4-1 Win Over Lobos In MWC Women's Tennis

Colorado Springs, Colo. (April 27, 2007) With a 3-1 lead in the semifinals of the 2007 MWC Women's Tennis Championships, the 28th ranked BYU women's tennis team relied on senior Lauren Jones to close out the win. Jones, playing at no. 2 singles beat New Mexico's Sandra Zmak in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 to give the Cougars a 4-1 victory over the Lobos, Friday.

With the win, top seeded BYU (19-7) advanced to the title game of the Championships and plays UNLV (19-6), the no. 3 seed, on Saturday, at 10 a.m. on the Air Force Academy campus. The Rebels are ranked 55th nationally.

"We played well today, even better than yesterday I thought," said MWC Coach of the Year Craig Manning. "It feels like we're getting stronger and stronger with each match and I'm pleased with our team effort."

The team had the early 1-0 lead as the no. 2 doubles duo of Lauren Jones and Dolly Chang beat UNM's Abou-Zekry/Ryba 8-2, and Kristina Doerr and Sofia Holden playing at the no. 3 doubles position beat Quintal/Sotirchos 8-3.

In singles action BYU started out strong, winning five of the six first sets. Junior Anastasia Surkova gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead with her 6-4, 6-2 win at the no. 1 singles position.

New Mexico got close, 2-1 with its win from their no. 6 singles player who defeated Dolly Chang 6-2, 6-3. It would be the lone point for the Lobos. In the no. 5 singles match, Sofia Holden extended the BYU lead 3-1 with her 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Lobos' Lucy Scott. Jones, playing at no. 2 singles closed out the match with her straight sets win.

The winner of Saturday's title match gets an automatic bid into the 2007 NCAA Div. I Women's Tennis Championships that begin on May 13.

BYU-4; UNM-1

Doubles:

1. Miccoli/Surkova, BYU; Zmak/Scott, UNM -- 6-6 (DNF)

2. Jones/Chang, BYU def. Abou-Zekry/Ryba, UNM - 8-2

3. Doerr/Holden, BYU def. Quintal/Sotirchos, UNM - 8-3

BYU wins doubles, goes up 1-0.

Singles:

1. Anastasia Surkova, BYU, def. Ola Abou-Zekry, UNM - 6-4, 6-2

2. Lauren Jones, BYU, def. Sandra Zmak, UNM -- 7-5, 6-2 *

3. Kristina Doerr, BYU; Mackenzie White, UNM -- 3-6, 6-3, 3-0 (DNF)

4. Nora Quintal, UNM; Chie Hayasaka, BYU - 6-7 (3), 3-5 (DNF)

5. Sofia Holden, BYU def. Lucy Scott, UNM -- 6-2, 6-3

6. Jennifer Ryba, UNM, def. Dolly Chang, BYU - 2-6, 3-6

* Clinched the 4-1 Cougar win.