BYU continues regional play in New Mexico

PROVO, Utah –With less than half the season left, the No. 40 BYU men’s tennis team looks to continue its momentum in regional play as it takes on University of Pacific and No. 46 New Mexico on Friday and Saturday, respectively, in New Mexico.

The Cougars (8-5) are on a five-match winning streak and are coming off an upset over regional rival then-No. 35 Boise State.

With the first half of the season over, multiple Cougars have made their mark in the record books. 

Georgy Batrakov, ranked No. 54 nationally in singles, holds the fifth-most career singles victories in BYU history with 92. The Russian netter needs two more to tie former teammate Cassidy Mears at the No. 4 spot.

With the best singles record on the team this season, senior Spencer Smith (23-5) is three matches away from cracking the top-20 in most singles victories in a season.

Smith and freshman Francis Sargeant, the No. 2 doubles duo for BYU, sit at the No. 19 spot for most season doubles victories with 17.

The Cougars kick off their next five road matches in New Mexico before returning home to finish the season.

On Friday, BYU faces University of Pacific (4-5), who is coming off a 4-3 win over Nevada. The Cougars topped Nevada, 7-0, in February. The last meeting between BYU and University of Pacific was in March 2011, where the Cougars came away with a 7-0 victory.

BYU reunites with former Mountain West Conference opponent No. 46 New Mexico (10-4) Saturday. The Lobos are coming off a 4-1 win over University of Louisiana-Lafayette, which earned New Mexico the title of the 46^th annual HEB Invitational. The Lobos have one ranked doubles duo in No. 37 Phillip Anderson and Jadon Phillips.

The Cougars are 31-20 all-time against the Lobos. BYU came away with a 4-3 decision the last time it faced New Mexico, in April 2011.

Both matches will start at noon on their respective days and be played at the Linda Estes Tennis Complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico.