BYU wraps up time at ITA Regional Championships with two Cougars in the singles championships

DENVER – BYU men’s tennis concludes time at the ITA Mountain Regional Championships on Saturday with Sean Hill and Mateo Vereau Melendez in the singles championship match.

"We set a very ambitious team goal to come back from the Regional with two singles finalists and two doubles finalists wearing the Y," BYU head coach Brad Pearce said. "While we fell short of advancing a doubles team into the finals, we have a lot to be proud of by sending Sean and Mateo to the ITA Fall Championships as the representatives of the Mountain Region, as well as advancing four singles players into the round of 16 and for doubles, sending two teams into the quarters and one into the semis."

Singles

Hill and Vereau Melendez advanced to the singles championship match after defeating their opponents in the semifinals, securing their invitation to compete in the ITA National Fall Championships, Nov. 6-9.

No. 1 seed Hill topped No. 4 seed Stepan Holis of the University of New Mexico in three sets, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. No. 12 seed Vereau Melendez took down the No. 8 seed, Utah’s Russell Benkaim in a quick two-set match, 6-1, 6-3.

Doubles

In the quarterfinals, No. 3 seeds Hill and Vereau Melendez handily defeated the No. 7 seeds, Louis Menard and Jordy Visser of New Mexico State University, 8-5. No. 1 seeds Ben Gajardo and Sam Tullis dropped their match to the University of Idaho’s Francisco Perez Bascon and Esteban Santibanez, 4-8.

Hill and Vereau Melendez moved on to compete against Perez Bascon and Santibanez in the semifinals, but the Cougar pair fell 2-6, 4-6.

"I don't recall another team putting two singles players into the finals of our Regional since I've been a coach at BYU so that accomplishment was historic," Pearce continued. "We fell short of our goals, but we have a lot to be proud of. We just need to keep working hard and improving through the rest of the fall season."

Up next, the Cougars stay home for a week before traveling to the Jack Kramer Invitational on Oct. 31.

Day 1 Recap

Day 2 Recap

Day 3 Recap