Cougar pair advances to Round of 16

LAS -- Callie Craig and Megan Price shot forward in the ITA Mountain Region Championships doubles bracket to represent the BYU women’s tennis team in the Round of 16.

No. 5 seed Price and Callie Craig—an Orem, Utah, native—slammed New Mexico State’s Manon Sylvain and Jodie Williams with an 8-5 victory Thursday after a bye in the first round.

The Cougar pair will match up with Lucia Batta and Anna Maskaljun of host UNLV in the next round. Batta and Maskaljun beat their Round of 32 opponents 8-2.

Elle Carney pulled a strong finish in the third round of the singles draw, defeating Elena Najera Salas of Denver 7-6, 6-3. Carney is the last Cougar standing in the singles draw, after teammate Callie Craig fell to Michelle Okhremchuk of Nevada, Reno 6-0, 6-4.

BYU’s Elizaveta Ezhova and Kelsie Craig fell behind in their doubles match against Jana Albers and Adrienn Hidvegi, losing 8-5 to the Rebels.

Also competing in the doubles tournament, Carney and Aubrey Paul held off Kristina Schleich and Abbie Probert of Colorado, winning the match 8-4. But the pair couldn’t hold on against Boise State opponents Marlena Pietzuch and Stephanie Jasper, who beat the Cougars 8-1 in the Round of 32.

The tournament continues Friday morning at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas.

For more information on the tournament, click here.