May 6, 1998
LAS VEGAS - For the first time, top tennis teams from across the West will travel to the campus of UNLV to vie for a single berth to the finals of the NCAA Division I Women's Championships.
The eight-team field of the NCAA West Region Championship on May 15-17 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex is led by top-seeded and 13th-ranked Pepperdine (19-5 overall record this season). The second seed is 21st-ranked Southern California (11-10), which makes its first-ever appearance in Las Vegas. The University of San Diego (12-8), ranked 29th, is seeded third. Host UNLV (11-12), strengthened by its appearance in last week's WAC Championship final, is seeded fourth and ranked 49th. The remaining four teams, which are unseeded, are 30th-ranked San Diego State (15-6), 41st-ranked Fresno State (16-11), 55th-ranked Washington (12-7) and 56th-ranked Washington State (10-9).
Four matches will be played Friday, two semi-finals are slated for Saturday and the title match is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5 per day for adults/ $3 for students.
The Lady Rebels, who earned their first NCAA post-season appearance last season, will look for their first victory after losing in the first round of last year's regional hosted by San Diego.
UNLV is also playing host to the Region VII Men's Championship at the Fertitta Tennis Complex from May 14-16. The dual event will mark the first time one school has hosted both the men's and women's tournaments in the same season.
Ten teams - Arizona State, BYU, California, Duke, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Stanford, Texas and Wake Forest -- advanced automatically to this year's finals, scheduled for May 21-29 at South Bend, Ind.
Winners of the six regional tournaments scheduled for next weekend across the country will round out the 16-team field. Other schools hosting women's regionals are Tennessee, Virginia Tech, BYU, Illinois and Louisiana State.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS 1998 WEST REGION CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULEFriday, May 15Pepperdine (1) vs. Fresno State 9 a.m. UNLV (4) vs. Washington State 3 p.m.
San Diego (3) vs. San Diego State 9 a.m.Southern California (2) vs. Washington 3 p.m.
Saturday, May 16Semifinal 1 p.m.Semifinal 1 p.m.
Sunday, May 17Final 11 a.m.
