Golden Hurricane Digs Deep to Beat BYU, 4-3

Friday, March 16

Palm Springs, Calif.

Tulsa

BYU

Golden Hurricane Digs Deep to Beat BYU, 4-3

3/16/2018 6:02:00 PM | Men's Tennis

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Lucca Baptista, who could barely stand, mustered up enough strength to force a tiebreaker in the final set of the No. 3 singles match. Baptista used every ounce of his strength to claim a 7-4 tiebreaker victory and win his match, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). Tulsa (10-10) needed a come-from-behind effort to defeat Brigham Young (11-2), 4-3, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

The Cougars jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, after Sean Hill and Jeffrey Hsu defeated Majed Kilani and Lucca Baptista, 6-2, in the No. 1 doubles match. Ben Gajardo and John Pearce knocked off Louis Corker and Mitchell Pritchard, 6-1, at the No. 2 spot.

In singles play, the No. 118 ranked Kilani breezed through the first set, 6-0, against Hill in the No. 1 position. Kilani broke Hill's serve three more times in the second, as he claimed another 6-0 set victory. Kilani tied the overall match at 1-1 and improved his overall singles record in dual matches to 12-4.

Gajardo beat Corker 6-0 and 6-2, at the No. 5 singles spot. Sam Tullis defeated Pritchard in the No. 4 singles match, 7-5 and 6-3, which put BYU up, 3-1.

The No. 71 ranked Joshua Goodger did everything he could to keep the Cougars from claiming their fourth point in the match. Goodger collected a first-set victory against Hsu, 6-4, in the No. 2 match. Hsu managed to take the second set, 6-2, but Goodger battled back and won the third set, 7-6 (7-3). Goodger is now 12-4 in dual singles matches and pulled the Golden Hurricane within one of BYU, 3-2.

Boriss Kamdem notched a first-set victory against Matthew Pearce in the No. 6 spot, 6-3. Matthew Pearce went on to win the second stanza, 6-1. Kamdem was resilient and went on to win the final set, 6-4. Kamdem improves to 4-4 in dual matches, but more importantly he tied the overall match at 3-3.

John Pearce took the opening set of the No. 3 singles match against Baptista, 6-4. Baptista was unfazed and stormed back to claim a 6-2 victory in the second set. The third and final set would decide the outcome of the match. Baptista fought back and forced a tiebreaker. Baptista, who could hardly stand, summoned everything he had and achieved a 7-3 victory in the tiebreaker, winning his match, 4-6, 6-2 and 7-6 (7-3). Baptista secured the match for the Hurricane, 4-3, and improved to 11-8 in dual matches in the process.

With the win, Tulsa improved to 10-10 on the season. The Golden Hurricane returns to action Saturday, March 17, as it faces No. 26 Arizona State, at 1 p.m., in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open Collegiate Tennis Challenge presented by Oracle.

Tulsa 4, BYU 3
Singles competition
1. #118 Majed Kilani (TU) def. Sean Hill (BYU) 6-0, 6-0
2. #71 Joshua Goodger (TU) def. Jeffrey Hsu (BYU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Lucca Baptista (TU) def. John Pearce (BYU) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Sam Tullis (BYU) def. Mitchell Pritchard (TU) 7-5, 6-3
5. Ben Gajardo (BYU) def. Louis Corker (TU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Boriss Kamdem (TU) def. Matthew Pearce (BYU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Sean Hill/Jeffrey Hsu (BYU) def. Majed Kilani/Lucca Baptista (TU) 6-2
2. Ben Gajardo/John Pearce (BYU) def. Louis Corker/Mitchell Pritchard (TU) 6-1
3. Joshua Goodger/Boriss Kamdem (TU) vs. Sam Tullis/David Ball (BYU) 6-5, unfinished

BYU 11-2
Tulsa 10-10
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (1,5,4,2,6,3)
T-3:20

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