Cougars Fall In Second Conference Loss

ALBUQUERQUE -- Just one day after suffering its first Mountain West Conference loss of the season, the No. 38 BYU women's tennis team dropped a close 4-3 match to No. 55 New Mexico. With the loss the Cougars fall to 13-10 on the season and 5-2 in league play.

BYU came out quickly to begin the match, sweeping all three doubles matches and securing the 1-0 lead. Seniors Anastasia Surkova and Jennifer Miccoli cruised to an easy 8-2 win over Ola Abou-Zekry and Lucy Scott at the No. 1 position. Chie Hayasaka and Elle Carney were the next to follow, with an 8-6 victory on court three. Dolly Chang and Kristina Doerr completed BYU's sweep with an 8-5 win of their own.

Moving into singles play, the momentum shifted to the Lobos' favor, as both Chang and Hayasaka fell in straight sets.

No. 87 Doerr pulled out a tough 7-5, 6-2 win over Mackenzie White. After battling through a close three-set match, Carney won 6-2, 0-6, 6-3, giving BYU a 3-2 advantage.

On the first court, it was a battle between two ranked players, as No. 123 Abou-Zekry upset No. 65 Surkova in three sets (6-3, 2-6, 6-3). UNM clinched the win after Elizaveta Ezhova suffered a close 6-4, 7-6 (4) loss.

The Cougars will close out conference play when they travel to Salt Lake City to take on in-state rival Utah on April 19.

RESULTS
No. 55 New Mexico def. No. 38 BYU, 4-3
April 12, 2008 - Albuquerque, N.M.
Doubles
1.  Surkova/Miccoli (BYU) def. Abou-Zekry/Scott (UNM) 8-2
2.  Chang/Doerr (BYU) def. White/Ryba (UNM) 8-5
3.  Carney/Hayasaka (BYU) def. Hayman/Tessmar (UNM) 8-6
Singles
1.  No. 123 O. Abou-Zekry (UNM) def. No. 65 A. Surkova (BYU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
2.  No. 87 K. Doerr (BYU) def. M. White (UNM) 7-5, 6-2
3.  L. Scott (UNM) def. C. Hayasaka (BYU) 7-5, 6-1
4.  E. Hayman (UNM) def. D. Chang (BYU) 6-0, 6-0
5.  J. Ryba (UNM) def. E. Ezhova (BYU) 6-4, 7-6 (4)
6.  E. Carney (BYU) def. M. Sotirchos (UNM) 6-2, 0-6, 6-3