May 26, 1998

ATHENS, Ga. - UNLV junior Asaf Tishler has earned the unenviable task of facing his first-ever NCAA opponent in a hostile stadium.

Tishler, ranked 41st, will take on 16th-ranked Steven Baldas of homestanding Georgia in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championship Wednesday.

Baldas, a senior from Adelaide, Australia, played four matches this week in the team championship as the Bulldogs lost in Tuesday's final to Stanford, also held at the Dan Magill Tennis Center.

Tishler, 22-12, will attempt to become the third UNLV men's player to win a singles match at the NCAA event.

Former Rebel Luke Smith, also from Adelaide, won last year's national championship held at UCLA. Smith also teamed with Tim Blenkiron to win the doubles title.