Team Beats Hawaii In Season Opener

HONOLULU (Jan. 4, 2008) In the opening match of the 2008 campaign BYU's women's tennis team started out strong with a convincing 5-2 victory over Hawaii, Friday.

The No. 26 ranked Cougar team was up 4-0 before the Rainbow Wahine scored a point in the match. BYU went up 1-0 easily winning all three doubles matches then picked up three singles victories to go ahead 4-0.

"This was a fun match and overall it's a good start to the season," said head coach Craig Manning. "We got off to a pretty quick start after adjusting to playing in the low altitude. Some players struggled early but played well at the end."

BYU's Anastasia Surkova teamed up with Kristina Doerr at the no. one doubles position, winning their match, 8-3 over Sophie Kobuch and Chloe Bihag. Teammates Liza Ezhova and Dolly Chang also won at no. 2 doubles in similar fashion. At no. 3 doubles, Elle Carney along with Chie Hayasaka defeated Hawaii's Natasha Zorec and Jennifer Goldman 8-2.

In the singles competition, the Cougars Ezhova, Hayasaka, and Chang picked up straight sets wins at number three, four and six respectively.

Hawaii's two points came late in the match. Kobuch defeated BYU's Anastasia Surkova at no. 1 singles 4-6, 4-6 and Bihag beat the Cougars' Doerr 6-3, 2-6, (10-3).

BYU continues play in Hawaii, battling no. 13 Baylor on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the UH Tennis Complex.

-AGATE-

No. 26 BYU-5, Hawai'i -2

Doubles - BYU won doubles point

1. Surkova/Doerr (BYU) def. Kobuch/Bihag, 8-3

2. Ezhova/Chang (BYU) def. Sandborn/Marie Tanaka, 8-3

3. Carney/Hayasaka (BYU) def. Zorec/Goldman, 8-2

Singles (each match worth one point)

1. Sophie Kobuch (UH) def. No. 59 Anastasia Surkova, 6-4, 6-4

2. Chloe Bihag (UH) def. Kristina Doerr, 6-3, 2-6, (10-3)

3. Liza Ezhova (BYU) def. Julia Sandborn, 6-0, 6-2

4. Chie Hayasaka (BYU) def. Natasha Zorec, 6-1, 6-1

5. Elle Carney (BYU) def. Jennifer Goldman, 7-6 (4), 1-6, (10-4)

6. Dolly Chang (BYU) def. Brittany Beswick, 6-1, 6-0