SALT LAKE CITY – The BYU women’s tennis team dropped its match to instate rival No. 33 University of Utah, 5-2, Saturday in Salt Lake City.

“I’m really proud of the ways the girls played today,” BYU coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said. “They played aggressive and we fought really hard. The match was a lot closer than what the final score looked like. We had a lot of opportunities and came close, which shows how good of a team we are. I’m happy with their performance.” 

Freshman Meghan Sheehan-Dizon recorded the Cougars’ (4-9) first point, topping Danielle Flores, 6-2, 6-4, on Court 4 to kick off singles play.

The Utes (8-5) answered with straight-set wins on Courts 2 and 3 before BYU sophomore Desiree Tran recorded her first win of the spring season, upsetting No. 63 Anastasia Putilina, 6-3, 0-6, 6-3, on Court 1.

Lucia Kovarcikova secured the Utah win, edging out junior Aubrey Paul 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 on Court 5. Freshman Lisa Waldron wrapped up the match, narrowly falling to Sammie Watson, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

The Utes started the match by taking the doubles point over the Cougars with wins on Court 1 and 3. BYU’s freshman Morgan Anderson and Sheehan-Dizon grabbed an 8-3 decision over Danielle Flores and Kovarcikova on Court 2. The doubles duos of senior Megan Price and Tran, and junior Andie Young and Paul, dropped their respective matches 8-5.

The win gave Utah three points in the Deseret Duel, improving its score to 16 to BYU's 28. The BYU men's tennis team secured the overall Deseret Duel title when it topped Utah, 5-2, on Feb. 15.

The Cougars kick off West Coast Conference play Monday against San Diego at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts at 11 a.m. MST. Admission is free.

#33 Utah, 5
BYU, 2

Singles competition
1. Desiree Tran (BYU) def. #63 Anastasia Putilina (UTAH) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3
2. Sarah Pham (UTAH) def. Morgan Anderson (BYU) 6-4, 6-2
3. Callie Craig (UTAH) def. Megan Price (BYU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Meghan Sheehan-Dizon (BYU) def. Danielle Flores (UTAH) 6-2, 6-4
5. Lucia Kovarcikova (UTAH) def. Aubrey Paul (BYU) 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
6. Sammie Watson (UTAH) def. Lisa Waldron (BYU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
 

Doubles competition
1. Anastasia Putilina/Callie Craig (UTAH) def. Desiree Tran/Megan Price (BYU) 8-5
2. Morgan Anderson/Meghan Sheehan-Dizon (BYU) def. Danielle Flores/Lucia Kovarcikova (UTAH) 8-3
3. Sarah Pham/Sammie Watson (UTAH) def. Andie Young/Aubrey Paul (BYU) 8-5
 

Match Notes:
BYU (4-9)
Utah (8-5, 0-2 Pac-12); National ranking #33
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,3,1,5,6)

PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s tennis team travels to Salt Lake Saturday to challenge in-state rival No. 33 University of Utah in the Deseret Duel before returning home to kick off conference play against No. 72 University of San Diego Monday.

The match between the Cougars (4-8) and the Utes (7-5) is slated to start at 11 a.m. MT. The match will be held at either the Eccles Tennis Center (temperature below 50°F) or Coach Mike's Tennis Academy, 1216 S. Wasatch Drive (temperature above 50°F). BYU’s first West Coast Conference match, against San Diego (3-6), starts at 11 a.m. MT at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts. The match is the Cougars’ first at home since Feb. 18.

BYU split its matches last weekend, dropping a 5-2 decision to the University of Texas-Arlington, before besting Boise State 5-2. Senior Megan Price went undefeated during the weekend at the No. 3 singles position and No. 1 doubles position, alongside sophomore Desiree Tran. The BYU pair is 3-0 this spring.

After injuring her foot in the fall, junior Andie Young made her first appearance this spring, against UT Arlington. Young went 1-1 over the weekend at the No. 3 doubles position with junior Aubrey Paul.

No. 33 Utah has one ranked player in No. 62 Anastasia Putilina. The Utes are coming off losses to No. 5 Stanford, 7-0, and No. 10 Cal, 6-1. Sophomore Sarah Pham scored Utah’s lone point against the Bears, upsetting No. 44 Tayler Davies at the No. 2 singles spot. The win was Pham’s fifth upset over a ranked opponent this year.

Last year, Utah captured a 4-3 victory over BYU in Provo.

No .97 Anna Depenau represents No. 72 San Diego in the national singles rankings. Juliette Coupez leads the Toreros in singles with a 15-5 overall record while going 7-2 this spring. Depenau and Maja Sujica are undefeated in dual matches in doubles and own an eight-match win streak.

The Toreros are coming off a 5-2 win over Sacramento State. San Diego will face UC Irvine Friday in Calif. before traveling to Provo.