Netters hit the road for three matches

PROVO, Utah – Following a hard-fought 4-3 victory over No. 45 Boise State, the No. 39 BYU men’s tennis team plays Portland on Thursday, No. 72 Idaho on Friday and Gonzaga on Saturday.

 

BYU (16-4, 4-0 West Coast Conference) faces Portland on the road at 10 a.m. PDT, Idaho in Spokane at 5 p.m. PDT and Gonzaga on the road at 10:30 a.m. PDT.

 

For the third time this season, the Cougars are riding a five-match win streak.

 

Junior Patrick Kawka upset No. 29 Andrew Bettles last week but still fell a few spots in the ITA singles rankings this week to No. 42.

 

With a 7-1 record in their last eight matches, Kawka and teammate Francis Sargeant re-entered the national polls in doubles play at the No. 86 spot.

 

Portland (9-9, 2-3 WCC) has yet to win a match against a ranked opponent this season, with its most recent loss coming against No. 10 Pepperdine last week.

 

Idaho (20-4, 4-0 WAC) earned an 11-4 record in the month of March while Gonzaga (7-11, 0-5 WCC) recorded three wins that month, including a 5-2 victory over New Mexico State on March 28.

 

The Cougars will travel to California on April 19 to play Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount in their last two matches of the regular season.