The No. 53 BYU Cougars men’s tennis team lost 4-1 to the No. 12 UCF Knights on March 19 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.
The match was significant as it marked BYU’s second consecutive loss to a top-15 ranked opponent, bringing their season record to 13-4. The result highlights the competitive level of play faced by the Cougars as they continue their season against nationally ranked teams.
BYU started strong in doubles play, using its three most consistent pairings: Otto Schreiner and Adam Chodur on Court 1, TJ Wells and Tygen Goldammer on Court 2, and Hardy Owen with Caden Hasler on Court 3. Hasler and Owen secured a win on Court 3 with a score of 6-3 after overcoming an early deficit. Wells and Goldammer also claimed victory on Court 2 with a close 6-4 finish. With these wins, BYU earned the doubles point and took an early lead into singles competition.
In singles matches, UCF quickly gained momentum by winning the opening game on five of six courts. Despite efforts from BYU players such as Chodur, Goldammer, Ubri, Owen, and Duong to keep their matches close or even tied at various points, UCF ultimately won first sets on five courts. Owen managed to win his opening set for BYU but UCF responded strongly across other courts.
The Knights carried their momentum into the second sets and closed out the match with four straight-set victories, securing a team win over BYU for the second time in three years. Several singles matches were left unfinished as UCF clinched the overall victory before all courts concluded.
Looking ahead, BYU will return home next week to face Texas Tech at the Outdoor Tennis Courts on Friday, March 27 at 5 p.m.
