BYU Beats Aztecs, Utah Upset in WAC Tennis Semifinals

SAN DIEGO —  Earlier this season, the San Diego State men’s tennis team swept three doubles matches and then split four singles matches to defeat Brigham Young, 5-2.

In the Western Athletic Conference semifinals Tuesday, however, the Aztecs never had the chance to use their strong doubles play. BYU swept all of the singles matches to defeat the Aztecs, 6-0, on the SDSU campus.

BYU will meet fourth-seeded New Mexico for the WAC championship today at 11 a.m. The Lobos surprised top-seeded and six-time defending champion Utah, 5-4, Tuesday.

In the other semifinal, New Mexico’s Steve Bickman staved off four match points in the 10th game of the third set before beating Utah’s Christian Schultes, 6-2, 3-6, 7-5, at No. 3 singles to pull the Lobos even at 3-3 after singles play.

Then, after losing the first set in all three doubles matches, New Mexico’s No. 2 team of Bickman and Jack Griffin and No. 3 duo of Steve Otero and Jerry Gunther rallied for three set wins to eliminate the defending champions.