Cougars advance in BYU Invitational

PROVO -- Day 1 of the BYU Invitational started positive for the BYU women’s tennis team, who advanced four players in singles bracket A and two doubles teams to the quarterfinals, as well as two players to the semifinals in singles bracket B.

Advancing for the Cougars were Megan Price, Callie Craig, Elle Carney and Aubrey Paul, moving on with straight-set victories. All will play their quarterfinal matches Friday at 10 a.m.

Price narrowly won her first game in her Round of 16 match, but aggressively pushed on in the second to beat Colorado State’s Kaley Schultz (7-5, 6-2). Meanwhile, Freshman Craig made quick work of her opponent, dominating the match against Kassia Adamson of Weber State (WSU) 6-0, 6-0.

Carney matched up with Hailey Swenson of Utah State and won the match 6-4, 6-2 and Paul beat Wyoming’s Simona Synkova (6-4, 6-2), who was the No. 5 seed for the tournament. Carney’s Round of 16 match against CSU’s Caitlin Fluegge went to three sets, finishing in a tie breaker [6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5)].

Cougars Craig and Paul will face off in the quarterfinals Friday.

Elizaveta Ezhova lost her Round of 32 match to Naseem Eslami of WSU in straight sets while Kelsie Craig lost to Carly Van Hollen of Wyoming in straight sets as well.

In the bracket B, Andie Young moved on to the semifinals, beating WSU’s Annika Karlsen (6-4, 2-6, 6-4).

BYU's Justine Gallacci lost in the quarterfinals to Lauren Pick of CSU [0-6, 7-6 (5)].

Doubles action saw Price and Callie Craig paired up to face CSU’s Pick and Kaitlin Wooldridge. The No. 1 seed Cougars grabbed an 8-2 victory.

Carney and Ezhova faced WSU’s Adamson and Michelle Warwick also taking the win (8-5).

Paul and Kelsie Craig fell to USU’s Taylor Perry/Jaci West (8-1).

MWC foe Wyoming had two players advance to the quarterfinals in singles bracket A and two in doubles.

One player will play in the quarterfinals for CSU in singles bracket A.

USU’s West won a match against CSU’s Melissa Holzinger due to Holzinger stepping out with an injury. West will be the only player representing her school in singles bracket A in the quarterfinals.

In doubles, Julie Tukuafu and Kristina Voytsekhovish, Brianna Harris and Hailey Swenson and Monica Abella and Sadi Wilkins will represent USU in the doubles quarterfinals. Abella and Wilkins reached the quarterfinals with an upset win against No. 2 seed Rebecca Berger and Kovacs.

The collegiate athletes participate as individuals in this tournament while representing their schools.

The tournament continues Friday at 10 a.m. at the BYU Outdoor Tennis Courts south of the soccer field. Admission is free and open to the public. Parking is available after 4 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday in the “Y Lot” parking lots south and northwest of the tennis courts.

For more information and results, click here.