Malykh remains undefeated in Cougars 4-3 loss to Fresno State

PROVO, Utah – Sophomore Polina Malykh remains undefeated in singles play, but the BYU women's tennis team ended a four-game winning streak in a close 4-3 loss to Fresno State.

"Polina had a great day in both singles and doubles," BYU Head Coach Lauren Jones-Spencer said.  "She came out to win. Anastasia (Abramyan) did a great job coming back in her match today. Being down 2-5 and a set, she did a great job staying focused and competing hard today. We will keep working hard this week so we can bounce back and be ready for San Diego."

Sophomores Kate Cusick and Malykh in No. 3 doubles played Fresno State's Katerina Stloukalova and Abbey Watanbe and earned BYU's first win of the day, 6-2. In No. 1 doubles, senior Mayci Jones and freshman Anastasia Abramyan took on the No. 36 doubles team in the nation, Georgia Lawson and Emma Wilson of Fresno State. The Cougar duo rose to the big challenge and won 6-2. No. 3 doubles did not finish.

Malykh carried her excellent doubles play into No. 5 singles as she competed against Fresno State's Alessia Dario. She won the match handily, 6-1, 6-3, to take her ninth-straight win. With a 2-0 lead, freshman Hermehr Kaur faced off against Fresno State's Georgia Lawson in No. 6 singles.  After battling illness all week, Kaur fought hard in her return, but came up short, losing 6-4, 6-2.

In No. 3 singles freshman Madeline Almeida played Ndindi Ndunda of Fresno State and lost 6-3, 6-2 to tie the match up 2-2. Cusick took on Fresno State's Julian Triebe in No. 4 singles. After Triebe won a tight tiebreaker in the first set, Cusick surged back in second to win it and send the match to three sets. However, Triebe proved to be too much as she defeated Cusick 7-6(4),1-6, 6-3 and gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead.

Down a point, Jones competed in a close match in No. 1 singles against Wilson and won a tight first set, but Wilson came out swinging in the following two sets to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 and earned Fresno State the match victory. 

Following a loss in the first set in No. 2 singles, Abramyan was down 5-2 in the second set, but battled back to make a huge comeback against Stloukalova to win a close tiebreaker. She carried that energy to the third set to win 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2 as the Cougars fell to the Bulldogs 4-3.

BYU will compete at home again next Saturday, Mar. 31 at 12:00 p.m. against West Coast Conference foe San Diego. Admission to the match is free and complimentary pizza will be provided to all spectators. Live stats for the match are found on BYU's online schedule 

Fresno State 4, BYU 3

Singles competition:

1. Emma Wilson (FS) def. Mayci Jones  (BYU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3

2. Anastasia Abramyan (BYU) def. Katerina Stloukalova (FS) 2-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-2

3. Ndindi Ndunda (FS) def. Madeline Almeida (BYU) 6-3, 6-2

4. Juliane Triebe (FS) def. Kate Cusick (BYU) 7-6 (4-0), 1-6, 6-3

5. Polina Malykh (BYU) def. Alessia Dario (FS) 6-1, 6-3

6. Georgia Lawson (FS) def. Hermehr Kaur (BYU) 6-4, 6-2

Doubles competition:

1. Mayci Jones /Anastasia Abramyan (BYU) def. Emma Wilson/Georgia Lawson (FS) 6-2

2. Kate Cusick /Polina Malykh (BYU) def. Katerina Stloukalova/Abbey Watanabe (FS) 6-2

3.Samantha Smith /Taylah Beckman (BYU) vs. Juliane Triebe/Olivia Noble (FS) 5-5, unfinished

Match Notes:

Fresno State 5-10

BYU 9-5

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