Men Go Down-To-Wire in Close 4-3 Win Over Utah In MWC Tourney Match

Salt Lake City, Utah (April 26, 2001) -- It came down to a tie breaker at the number four singles spot for BYU to clinch the 4-3 victory over instate rival Utah, in first round men's tennis action at the MWC Championships hosted by the Utes at the Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club, Thursday.

The Cougar team went into the singles competition with a 1-0 advantage after winning two of the three doubles matches at the number one and three positions. The number one BYU duo of Gert Vilms and Carlos Lozano defeated Utah's David Mercier and Nicholas Yip 8-6 while Cougar teammates Eric Nyman and Matt Stohl clinched the doubles point with an 8-5 win over the Utes Kevin Zenger and Corrie Scheepers.

In singles, Utah battled back picking up straight set wins at the number three, five and six spots for a 3-3 tie. A win at the number four singles position between BYU's Gyrens and Utah's Yip would give either team the win. Yip took an early 6-2 lead in the first set. The Cougars' Gyrens fought back winning the second set 7-5 and then finally took the advantage in the third set for the 7-6 score and the BYU 4-3 win.

The Cougars advance to the next round and meet number one seed SDSU on Friday in a 1 p.m. match at the Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club in Salt Lake City.

-Agate- (4) BYU- 4, (5) Utah-3

Singles:

Gert Vilms, BYU d. David Mercier, UU 6-4, 6-3

Carlos Lozano, BYU d. Kevin Zenger UU 6-3, 7-6

Corrie Scheepers, UU d. Eric Nyman BYU 6-3, 6-3

Michael Gyrens, BYU d. Nicholas Yip UU 2-6, 7-5, 7-6

Daniel Carlsson UU, d. Jeff Harbach BYU 6-1, 6-3

Tyler Poulson UU, d. Matt Stohl BYU 6-2, 7-5

Doubles:

Vilms/Lozano BYU d. Mercier/Yip UU 8-6

Poulson/Carlsson UU d. Olsen/Harbach BYU 8-5

Nyman/Stohl BYU d. Zenger/Scheepers UU 8-5