No. 71 BYU clinches convincing upset win over No. 38 Saint Mary’s

PROVO, Utah -- For the first time since 2007, BYU women’s tennis knocked off a top-40 team with an impressive 5-2 win over No. 38 Saint Mary’s in West Coast Conference action, Saturday.

“This should give us some confidence because they’re one of the top contenders in the conference and the fact that we were able to beat them 5-2 is huge for us,” BYU head coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said. “This is a good breakthrough for our program.”

The win over the Gaels (6-6, 1-1 WCC) is the first for the 71st-ranked Cougars (7-6, 3-0 WCC) over a team ranked in the ITA top 40 since a 4-3 win over No. 32 TCU in 2007 during coach Jones-Spencer’s senior season. The win is also BYU’s first against Saint Mary’s all-time.

With the match score 3-2 in favor of the Cougars, freshman Savannah Ware clinched the upset, downing Jade Frampton at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-3.

At sixth singles junior Morgan Anderson-Littlewood assembled a comeback in the first set and dominated in the second to top Parminder Kaur, 7-6, 6-1, adding an exclamation point to the already-secured win.

“One through six, everyone played really well,” Jones-Spencer said. “It’s the first match we’ve played where everyone came out, really wanted it and played to win--start to finish. I’m really proud of the girls, and it’s just a great feeling to pull out this win today.”

In doubles action, Nicolette Tran teamed with Ware in the No. 2 slot to help BYU jump out ahead with the one-sided victory over Frampton and Catherine Leduc, 8-1.

Saint Mary’s countered at No. 1 doubles when the freshmen duo of Mayci Jones and Toby Miclat fell to Jenny Jullien and Kaur, 8-3.

Third doubles team Meghan Sheehan-Dizon and Littlewood regained momentum for the Cougars, topping their opponents 8-5.

In singles, junior Sheehan-Dizon gave BYU the 2-0 advantage with a win at the No. 2 spot against Danielle Flores, 6-3, 6-0. The Gaels clawed back into the match when Jones fell to 11th-ranked Jullien, 6-3, 6-3.

Freshman Miclat came up with the two-set victory over No. 82 Leduc, 6-4, 6-4, to stretch the match score to 3-1, before Tran fell to No. 77 Jamie Pawid in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4.

Next week the Cougars hit the road for matchups against Loyola Marymount Friday at 10:30 a.m. PDT and No. 36 Pepperdine Saturday at 11 a.m.

#71 Brigham Young University 5, #38 Saint Mary's 2

Singles competition
1. No. 11 Jenny Jullien (SMC) def. JONES, Mayci (BYU) 6-3, 6-3
2. SHEEHAN-DIZON, Meg. (BYU) def. Danielle Flores (SMC) 6-3, 6-0
3. No. 77 Jamie Pawid (SMC) def. TRAN, Nicolette (BYU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-4
4. MICLAT, Toby (BYU) def. No. 82 Catherine Leduc (SMC) 6-4, 6-4
5. WARE, Savannah (BYU) def. Jade Frampton (SMC) 6-2, 6-3
6. ANDERSON-LITTLEWOOD, Morgan (BYU) def. Parminder Kaur (SMC) 7-6, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Jenny Jullien/Parminder Kaur (SMC) def. JONES, Mayci/MICLAT, Toby (BYU) 8-3
2. TRAN, Nicolette/WARE, Savannah (BYU) def. Jade Frampton/Catherine Leduc (SMC) 8-1
3. SHEEHAN-DIZON, Meg./ANDERSON-LITTLEWOOD, Morgan (BYU) def. Danielle Flores/Jamie Pawid (SMC) 8-5

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (2,1,4,3,5,6)