BYU tennis: men's team remains unbeaten at home with win over San Francisco

PROVO, Utah – The No. 41 BYU men’s tennis team improved its home record to 10-0 as it topped San Francisco 4-3 on Friday at the BYU Indoor Tennis Courts.

With the win over the Dons (6-4, 0-1 West Coast Conference), the Cougars (14-4, 3-0 WCC) remain unbeaten in conference play.

BYU only got one win in doubles play but bounced back to earn four straight victories in singles to secure the win.

“I didn’t like losing the doubles point today,” BYU coach Brad Pearce said. “But our guys came back and fought really hard in singles and I was really proud of that effort.”

Sophomores Keaton Cullimore and Francis Sargeant both quickly topped their respective opponents in straight sets. Playing at the No. 4 position, Cullimore won 6-0, 6-3, and Sargeant finished 6-2, 6-1 on court 3.

Next, No. 42 Patrick Kawka defeated Tahi Tu 7-6(4), 6-2 on court 1. Freshman John Pearce also won in a decisive manner at he topped Germain Bahri 6-1, 6-1 to clinch the Cougar victory.

In doubles play, BYU started the match with an 8-3 victory on court 2 as Travis Fillmore and Sargeant teamed up for the first time this season. San Francisco responded with a win of its own on court 3 as Tu and Bahri beat Spencer Smith and Pearce 8-6.

On court 1, Cullimore and Kawka fought back from a 7-4 deficit to tie the match but eventually fell to Nils Skajaa and Bernardo Saraiva 9-7.

BYU hosts its last home match of the season on Saturday, March 30 at noon MDT against Saint Mary’s.

Doubles 1. Skajaa/Saraiva (USF) def. Cullimore/Kawka (BYU) 9-7 2. Fillmore/Sargeant (BYU) def. Bucalem/Knowlman (USF) 8-3 3. Bahri/Tu (USF) def. Pearce/Smith (BYU) 8-6 Order of finish: 2, 3, 1

Singles 1. #42 Patrick Kawka (BYU) def. Thai Tu (USF) 7-6(4), 6-2 2. Bernardo Saraiva (USF) def. Spencer Smith (BYU) 7-6(9), 6-4 3. Francis Sargeant (BYU) def. Will Schumacher (USF) 6-2, 6-1 4. Keaton Cullimore (BYU) def. Rich Van Hout (USF) 6-0, 6-3 5. Nils Skajaa (USF) def. Andrey Goryachkov (BYU) 6-4, 6-4 6. John Pearce (BYU) def. Germain Bahri (USF) 6-1, 6-1 Order of finish: 4, 3, 1, 5, 2, 6

Aaron Sorenson is the tennis sports information director at BYU.