BYU Doubles Team Loses In First Round Of NCAA Championships

ATHENS -- Facing its 12th ranked opponent of the season, the BYU men's doubles team of senior Damien Ward and sophomore Gert Vilms lost in the first round of the NCAA men's tennis doubles championship Thursday in Athens, Ga.

Ward and Vilms, ranked 15th in the country coming into the tournament, lost to David Hodge and Mark Williams of Baylor, 6-3, 6-2. The first round loss is the second in two years for Ward who lost in the first round of this tournament last season while teamed with Manuel Calvo.

Hodge and Williams came in as one of the eight seeded teams and finished the regular season as the 8th-ranked doubles team in the nation.

"Neither one (Ward or Vilms) had a very good match," BYU head coach Jim Osborne said. "They were nervous. We needed another match before this one to get some of the nerves out. We played a good team who played a good match. We had our chances, but we just couldn't do it."

The loss finishes the season for the BYU men's tennis team. Ward and Vilms finished the season with a 32-12 overall record and ended the year 6-6 against nationally ranked teams.

Doubles:
1. David Hodge/Mark Williams (Baylor) def. Damien Ward/Gert Vilms (BYU), 6-3, 6-2