LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior Julia Casselbury rallied for a three-set win at the No. 4 singles position to clinch the William & Mary women's tennis team's 4-3 victory over BYU on Saturday afternoon at the McLeod Tennis Center. After the Tribe (6-3) won the doubles point for the fourth time in the last five matches, senior Elizaveta Nemchinov and sophomore Olivia Thaler won in straight sets to set up Casselbury's capper in downing the Cougars (1-6).
 
Casselbury and sophomore Cecily Wuenscher gave W&M the early lead in doubles thanks to a 6-2 win over the BYU pair of Taylah Beckman and Natella Nabieva at No. 3. The Green and Gold duo improved to 2-0 on the year. After BYU posted a victory at the top spot, sophomore Maria Groener and freshman Lauren Goodman stepped up by downing Savannah Ware and Nicolette Poulsen, 6-3, at the second spot to clinch the initial point of the match. The Tribe tandem pushed its season mark to 5-1, including 3-0 ledger at No. 2.
 
Nemchinov and Thaler wasted little time pushing the Green and Gold advantage to 3-0 with singles wins at No. 1 and No. 6, respectively. Thaler posted her second-straight victory, dispatching of Beckman, 6-4, 6-1, at No. 6. She improved to 3-1 at the sixth spot with her sixth win of the season. Nemchinov, who was ranked No. 85 in the latest ITA national rankings, bounced Mayci Jones, 6-2, 6-4, at the top spot. She ran her team-best singles record to 11-4, including a 5-2 mark at No. 1.
 
The Cougars, which have lost five of their six matches to nationally-ranked opponents, pulled even at three thanks to a trio of singles victories, including two three-setters at No. 3 and No. 5. Casselbury though put to rest any thoughts of a BYU win, picking up her third clinching triumph of the season at the fourth spot. Ware took the first set from Casselbury in close fashion, 7-5, but the Tribe senior rolled in the final two sets, dropping just one game, 6-0, 6-1. She improved to 10-4 overall, 6-2 in duals and 3-1 at the No. 4 position for the Green and Gold.
 
W&M continues to road swing on Sunday when it squares off with No. 10 Texas Tech at 11 a.m. CT. The contest will be the Tribe's sixth against nationally-ranked competition this season. The Red Raiders are 9-1 on the year following a 5-2 win over BYU on Friday. Live stats for the match will be available at TexasTech.com.
 
#39 William & Mary 4, BYU 3
Singles
No. 1 - #85 Elizaveta Nemchinov (W&M) def. Mayci Jones (BYU) – 6-2, 6-4
No. 2 – Toby Miclat (BYU) def. #91 Marie Faure (W&M) – 7-6 (4), 6-3
No. 3 - Nicolette Poulsen (BYU) def. Lauren Goodman (W&M) – 7-6, 1-6, 6-0
No. 4 – Julia Casselbury (W&M) def. Savannah Ware (BYU) – 5-7, 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 – Natella Nabieva (BYU) def. Maria Groener (W&M) – 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
No. 6 – Olivia Thaler (W&M) def. Taylah Beckman (BYU) – 6-4, 6-1
Finishing Order: 6, 1, 2, 5, 3, 4*
 
Doubles
No. 1 – Jones/Miclat (BYU) def. Faure/Nemchinov (W&M) – 6-4
No. 2 – Goodman/Groener (W&M) def. Poulsen/Ware (BYU) – 6-3
No. 3 – Casselbury/Wuenscher (W&M) def. Nabieva/ Beckman (BYU) – 6-2
Finishing Order: 3, 1, 2*