Feb. 12, 2000

SALT LAKE CITY - Playing only its second indoor match of the year, the 57th-ranked UNLV women's tennis team defeated homestanding Utah 7-2 for its first-ever Mountain West Conference victory at the Eccles Tennis Center Saturday.

The Lady Rebels improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the league while the Utes fell to 3-4 and 2-2. Both teams were missing a starting player because of injury.

"I was real proud of the way we bounced back after a tough loss (Friday at BYU)," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "We really stepped up our level of play to beat a tough Utah team on its own court."

At the top spot, 23rd-ranked Katarina Malec continued to roll through league opponents with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over last week's MWC player of the week, 81st-ranked Megan Payne-Dorny.

Also winning for the Lady Rebels were Veronica Goude, Urksa Radanovic, Michaela Gabl and Amy Hadziosmanovic. Malec and Bakken teamed up to win in doubles play as did Goude and Radanovic.

UNLV will stay in Salt Lake City to face No. 29 New Mexico on Sunday in a key conference matchup.

UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTSUNLV 7, UTAH 2At Eccles Indoor Tennis Center, Salt Lake City
SINGLES--1.  Katarina Malec (UNLV) def. Megan Payne-Dorny (UU)   6-2, 6-22.  Veronica Goude (UNLV) def. Cassie Kasteler (UU)     6-0, 6-43.  Frida Kareld (UU) def. Marianne Bakken (UNLV)       7-6, 4-6, 6-44.  Urska Radanovic (UNLV) def. Anna Stechert (UU)      6-2, 6-35.  Michaela Gabl (UNLV) def. Linn Ronnberg (UU)        7-5, 6-36.  Amy Hadziosmanovic (UNLV) def. Brooke Wilkinson (UU)    6-4, 6-3
DOUBLES--1.  Bakken/Malec (UNLV) def. Payne-Dorny/Kasteler (UU)     8-52.  Ronnberg/Wilkinson (UU) def. M. Gabl/Hadziosmanovic (UNLV) 8-63.  Radanovic/Goude (UNLV) def. Kareld/Irini Kotogiou (UU)     8-4