BYU kicks off WCC action after challenging Utah

PROVO, Utah – The BYU women’s tennis team travels to Salt Lake Saturday to challenge in-state rival No. 33 University of Utah in the Deseret Duel before returning home to kick off conference play against No. 72 University of San Diego Monday.

The match between the Cougars (4-8) and the Utes (7-5) is slated to start at 11 a.m. MT. The match will be held at either the Eccles Tennis Center (temperature below 50°F) or Coach Mike's Tennis Academy, 1216 S. Wasatch Drive (temperature above 50°F). BYU’s first West Coast Conference match, against San Diego (3-6), starts at 11 a.m. MT at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts. The match is the Cougars’ first at home since Feb. 18.

BYU split its matches last weekend, dropping a 5-2 decision to the University of Texas-Arlington, before besting Boise State 5-2. Senior Megan Price went undefeated during the weekend at the No. 3 singles position and No. 1 doubles position, alongside sophomore Desiree Tran. The BYU pair is 3-0 this spring.

After injuring her foot in the fall, junior Andie Young made her first appearance this spring, against UT Arlington. Young went 1-1 over the weekend at the No. 3 doubles position with junior Aubrey Paul.

No. 33 Utah has one ranked player in No. 62 Anastasia Putilina. The Utes are coming off losses to No. 5 Stanford, 7-0, and No. 10 Cal, 6-1. Sophomore Sarah Pham scored Utah’s lone point against the Bears, upsetting No. 44 Tayler Davies at the No. 2 singles spot. The win was Pham’s fifth upset over a ranked opponent this year.

Last year, Utah captured a 4-3 victory over BYU in Provo.

No .97 Anna Depenau represents No. 72 San Diego in the national singles rankings. Juliette Coupez leads the Toreros in singles with a 15-5 overall record while going 7-2 this spring. Depenau and Maja Sujica are undefeated in dual matches in doubles and own an eight-match win streak.

The Toreros are coming off a 5-2 win over Sacramento State. San Diego will face UC Irvine Friday in Calif. before traveling to Provo.