PROVO -- The BYU men's tennis team, ranked No. 40 in the country, dropped its first home meet of the season Saturday losing to No. 26 Boise State 5-2 in a dual meet in Provo, Utah.
The Cougars dropped the doubles point for only the second time of the season despite the team of Damien Ward and Gert Vilms upsetting Leif Meineke and Wesley Moodie, the 14th-ranked team in the country. Ward and Vilms, ranked No. 15, defeated Meineke and Moodie 9-7.
"They're a good team," BYU coach Jim Osborne said. "They fought hard and played well at every position. I think when Boise State won the doubles point they gained momentum going into singles. We weren't as intense as they were."
In singles, Boise State took four of six from BYU. Vilms, playing number two singles, picked up the first point of the match for BYU when he defeated Moodie 6-2, 6-4. Carlos Lozano won the number four match in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Meineke defeated Ward in number one singles 7-6, 4-6, 6-4.
The Cougars will host Montana State Mar. 4 at 10 a.m.
Singles:1. Meineke (BSU) def. Ward, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4
2. Vilms (BYU) def. Moodie, 6-2, 6-4
3. Kuharski (BSU) def. Losee, 6-3, 7-6
4. Lozano (BYU) def. Rugimbana, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
5. Berntson (BSU) def. White, 6-1, 6-2
6. Roberts (BSU) def. Faust, 6-2, 6-3
Doubles:
1. Ward/Vilms (BYU) def. Meineke/Moodie, 9-7
2. Roberts/Rugimbana (BSU) def. Losee/Lozano, 9-8
3. Berntson/Roumieh (BSU) def. White/Olsen, 8-6
Coming off a weekend that saw the 40th-ranked BYU men's tennis team defeat two non-conference opponents, the Cougars will host No. 26 Boise State in a dual match Saturday (Feb. 26) at noon.
The Broncos are led by a pair of seniors, Leif Meineke and Wesley Moodie. Meineke and Moodie are currently ranked 14th in the nation in doubles. They are both ranked in the top 100 in singles with Meineke at No. 42 and Moodie currently at No. 74.
The doubles team of Meineke and Moodie could potentially face the 15th-ranked doubles team in the country, BYU's Damien Ward and Gert Vilms. Ward and Vilms are currently 22-7 overall.
Another strength for the Cougars is the doubles team of Nic Losee and Carlos Lozano. They are currently ranked No. 22 and defeated Meineke and Moodie 8-3 during the fall season.
The first 125 fans get free pizza and drinks.
