Cougars fall in Deseret Duel at No. 66 Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – BYU women's tennis fell 7-0 to No. 66 Utah on Wednesday at the Eccles Tennis Center in the Deseret First Credit Union Duel. 

"We just didn't step up or play our best tennis today," BYU head coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said. "Utah came out hungry and they played to win. We're going to have to turn it around and play harder in our next match."

In doubles competition, the Utes (6-3) overpowered BYU (1-7) to win the first point of the match. BYU's No. 1 doubles duo, Mayci Jones and Toby Miclat, fell 6-1 to Margo Pletcher and Brianna Turley and Natella Nabieva and Erica Chichoni were defeated at No. 3 doubles, 6-3, by Utah's Luisa De Rosa and Jena Cheng. 

Utah continued to hold the upper hand in singles with Sarah Richter defeating Miclat at No. 2 singles, 6-0, 6-3. Playing at No. 3 singles for BYU, Nicolette Poulsen fell 6-1, 6-4, before Utah's Cheng defeated Savannah Ware at the No. 4 singles, 6-0, 6-3, to clinch the match for the Utes.

At the No.1 spot for the Cougars, Jones fell 6-2, 6-2, to Utah's Pletcher and Nabieva lost at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). In her first match of the season for the Cougars, Chichoni fell 2-6, 6-4, 10-6, to the Utes' Alexia Petrovic at the No. 6 spot. 

The Cougars return home to host San Francisco on Tuesday, March 1, at 11 a.m. MST. Admission is free to the public and free pizza will be provided.

Fans can also follow the matches live.