Cougars Record First WCC Win

Moraga, Calif. – Recording its first conference win as a member of the West Coast Conference, the No. 44 BYU men’s tennis team defeated Saint Mary’s, 5-2, Friday in its first of two matches in California.

The Cougars advance to 11-6 overall and 1-1 in the WCC while the Gaels move to 4-12 overall and 0-4 in conference play.

Senior Georgy Batrakov and sophomore Patrick Kawka, BYU’s No. 1 doubles team, jumped out quick for the Cougars with an 8-2 victory over Steven Daws-Roberts and Joakim Norstrom.

Saint Mary’s answered with the next two doubles wins to take the doubles point over BYU. Playing at the No. 3 doubles position, freshman Keaton Cullimore and Michael Eraso were edged out 8-6 before junior Spencer Smith and freshman Francis Sargeant dropped a narrow 9-7 decision on Court 2.

After losing the doubles point, the Cougars had a strong singles performance, winning on five of the six courts.

Kawka moved to a team-best 12-4 dual singles record with his 6-3, 7-0 win over Sherif Hamdy on Court 2. Smith put up a straight set victory (6-2, 6-2) on Court 3 to extend his overall singles record to 25-7, the best on the team.

Playing at the No. 6 position for BYU, Sargeant held Daws-Roberts to winning only three games, taking a 6-1, 6-2 decision.

Cullimore and Eraso were pushed to three sets by their respective opponents before battling back for the wins. After playing two tiebreakers, Cullimore posted a 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 win on Court 4. Eraso topped his Court 5 opponent 6-2, 6-7, 6-4.

Maxime Olivan upset No. 45 Batrakov of BYU in a three-setter, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2, on Court 1.

The Cougars meet conference foe No. 19 University of San Diego Saturday at noon PDT in San Diego.

No. 44 BYU – 5
Saint Mary’s – 2

Singles competition:
1. Maxime Olivan (SMC) def. #45 Georgy Batrakov (BYU) 7-6, 2-6, 6-2
2. Patrick Kawka (BYU) def. Sherif Hamdy (SMC) 6-3, 6-0
3. Spencer Smith (BYU) def. Saad Benkirane (SMC) 6-2, 6-2
4. Keaton Cullimore (BYU) def. Seif El Sherbini (SMC) 7-6, 4-6, 7-6
5. Michael Eraso (BYU) def. Joakim Norstrom (SMC) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4
6. Francis Sargeant (BYU) def. Steven Daws-Roberts (SMC) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition:
1. G. Batrakov/P. Kawka (BYU) def. S. Daws-Roberts/J. Norstrom (SMC) 8-2
2. S. Benkirane/M. Olivan (SMC) def. S. Smith/F. Sargeant (BYU) 9-7
3. S. Hamdy/S. El Sherbini (SMC) def. K. Cullimore/M. Eraso (BYU) 8-6
Order of finish: 1, 3, 2