April 27, 2000
LAS VEGAS - Playing in oppressive heat, 65th-ranked UNLV won all five completed matches vs. Utah and advanced in the first round of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Championship at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Thursday.
With temperatures nearing more than 20 degrees above normal, the fourth-seeded Lady Rebels avoided doubles play by taking the first four singles matches in straight sets and then picking up a win at No. 6 when fifth-seeded Utah's Anna Stechert retired in the second set after suffering heat exhaustion.
"I'm very happy with the way our team competed," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "I was nervous going in - I thought Utah had the kind of team that could beat us, but this shows the character of our players, to be so decisive on all six courts.
"Not playing doubles is a tremendous benefit for us because the heat can be a big factor out here. Our conditioning really showed up at the end of match."
In a showdown of the league's top two players at the No. 1 spot, 28th-ranked Katarina Malec swept 63rd-ranked Megan Payne-Dorny, 6-2, 6-2. Malec, who is 12-2 vs. ranked opponents this season, improved to 33-5 overall and has won 13 straight singles matches.
"Katarina once again proved that she is one of the premier players in the nation," Cory said. "She went out against one of the best players around and lost just four game total."
Also winning for UNLV were Veronica Goude at No. 2, Marianne Bakken at No. 3, Urska Radanovic at No. 4 and Amy Hadziosmanovic at No. 6.
UNLV, which improved to 13-9 overall, 10-4 at home and 3-3 in the MWC, will play top-seeded San Diego State Friday at 2 p.m. Utah fell to 7-11 and 3-4 and will take on Air Force, which was a 6-0 loser to the Aztecs.
"We have a great challenge in store for us Friday but also a great opportunity," Cory said. "If we play the way we did today, the sky is the limit."
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPFirst Round -- Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas -- April 27, 2000
(4) UNLV 5, (5) UTAH 0
SINGLES-1. Katarina Malec (UNLV) def. Megan Payne-Dorny (UU)6-2, 6-22. Veronica Goude (UNLV) def. Cassie Kasteler (UU) 6-3, 6-13. Marianne Bakken (UNLV) def. Frida Kareld (UU) 6-2, 6-34. Urska Radanovic (UNLV) def. Irini Kotoglou (UU) 6-0, 6-25. Britta Gabl (UNLV) vs. Linn Ronnberg (UU) halted at 6-2, 3-6, 1-06. Amy Hadziosmanovic (UNLV) def. Anna Stechert 7-5, 2-0 retired**Clinching Match
TOP-SEEDED AZTECS BLANK AIR FORCE
LAS VEGAS - The 31st-ranked San Diego State women played through high temperatures and fought off Air Force for a 6-0 victory in the first round of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Championship at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Thursday.
The top-seeded Aztecs avoided doubles play by sweeping all six singles matches from the eighth-seeded Falcons. Winning for SDSU were Whitney Wells, Laura Aguero, Katja Karrento, Lindsey Hedberg, Katey Becker and Julie Chidley. The top two matches went to three sets, however, and extended the match to two-and-a-half hours. The No. 2 match was completed even though SDSU had already clinched the team victory.
"This was a hard-fought match," SDSU head coach Peter Mattera said. "We played sluggish to begin with, but then were playing well by the end of the day. We got the first-round jitters out our system.
"We heard Air Force was a pesky team and they played as good as advertised and that made for an entertaining college tennis match. The heat didn't seem to be a factor with us. I know we are used to it more than Air Force."
The Aztecs, who improved to 14-8 overall and 3-1 in the MWC, will play fourth-seed and host UNLV Friday at 2 p.m. in one semifinal. Air Force, which dropped to 13-8, 0-4, will take on Utah, which was a 5-0 loser to the Rebels.
"UNLV's match was over very quickly so they had to have played well," Mattera said. "We had a tough match with them at home (SDSU defeated UNLV on April 1, 6-3) and we expect the same Friday."
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPFirst Round -- Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas -- April 27, 2000
(1) SAN DIEGO STATE 6, (8) AIR FORCE 0
SINGLES-1. Whitney Wells (SDSU) def. Kristel Chuntraruk (AFA)6-2, 4-6, 6-1*2. Laura Aguero (SDSU) def. Brooke Parsons (AFA) 6-7, 6-2, 6-13. Katja Karrento (SDSU) def. Nadine Lynn (AFA) 6-3, 6-24. Lindsey Hedberg (SDSU) def. Julie Weiss (AFA) 6-2, 6-15. Katey Becker (SDSU) def. Ashley Gee (AFA) 6-2, 6-26. Julie Chidley (SDSU) def. Kelli O'Bryant (AFA) 7-5, 6-4*Clinching Match
NEW MEXICO WHITEWASHES WYOMING TO ADVANCE
LAS VEGAS - New Mexico, ranked 46th, cruised past Wyoming 6-0 to advance during the first round of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Championship at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Thursday.
The second-seeded Lobos made quick work of the singles competition and did not lose a set as doubles play was canceled.
Winning for UNM - all in straight sets -- were Ana Friganovic at No. 1, Natalia Alekhova at No. 2, Ashley Hedberg at No. 3, Dominika Gerwin at No. 4, Neza Kurnik at No. 5 and Nicoleta Spilca at No. 6.
"We played very solid today," head coach Dr. Kathy Kolankiewicz said. "It was hot and we wanted to end the match as soon as we could. We knew that the quicker we got off the courts, the better it would be for us."
The Lobos, who improved to 15-9 overall and 5-1 in the MWC, will play third seed BYU Friday at 2 p.m. in one semifinal. Seventh-seeded Wyoming, which dropped to 8-12 and 1-5, will take on Colorado State, which was a 5-0 loser to the Cougars.
"I expect Friday to be a battle," Kolankiewicz said. "We lost 5-4 to BYU earlier in the season (Feb. 12 in Provo), but both teams have had a lot of lineup changes since then. I expect it to be a 5-4 final again no matter which way it goes."
The other semifinal features host UNLV vs. top-seeded San Diego State.
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPFirst Round -- Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas -- April 27, 2000
(2) NEW MEXICO 6, (7) WYOMING 0
SINGLES-1. Ana Friganovic (UNM) def. Melanie Roberts (WYO) 6-3, 6-22. Natalia Alekhova (UNM) def. Sarah Kay (WYO) 6-1, 6-13. Ashley Hedberg (UNM) def. Sofia Espinosa (WYO) 6-0, 6-44. Dominka Gerwin (UNM) def. Shirley Mendoza (WYO) 6-1, 6-15. Neza Kurnik (UNM) def. Angela Dossetor (WYO) 6-1, 6-06. Nicoleta Spilca (UNM) def. Paulina del Monte (WYO)6-2, 6-0
BYU WOMEN COMPLETE ROUND OF SHUTOUTS
LAS VEGAS - The day's final match at the Fertitta Tennis Complex ended just like the three before it as 47th-ranked BYU shut out Colorado State 5-0 to advance during the first round of the inaugural Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Championship Thursday.
The four higher seeds shut out their opponents in the first round and the third-seeded Cougars did not lose a set in taking all five completed singles matches.
Winning for BYU were 92nd-ranked Eline Chiew at No. 1, Jodi Richardson at No. 2, Kim Kelly at No. 3, Dominique Reynolds at No. 5 and Lu Oswald at No. 6. The match at No. 4 was halted and doubles play was canceled.
"We played well at most spots today," head coach Craig Manning said. "It was tough out there with the heat and the wind and I'm glad we got a match in under those conditions because it is supposed to be cooler Friday."
The Cougars, who improved to 10-8 overall and 4-1 in the MWC, will play second seed New Mexico Friday at 2 p.m. in one semifinal. Sixth-seeded Colorado State, which dropped to 10-10 and 2-2, will take on Wyoming, which was a 6-0 loser to the Lobos.
"New Mexico is going to be a tough match," Manning said. "We beat them when we played at BYU, but we'll have to be at our best."
The other semifinal features host UNLV vs. top-seeded San Diego State.
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPFirst Round -- Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas -- April 27, 2000
(3) BYU 5, (6) COLORADO STATE 0
SINGLES-1. Eline Chiew (BYU) def. Amanda Bartz (CSU) 6-0, 6-12. Jodi Richardson (BYU) def. Heidi Auvinen (CSU) 6-2, 6-13. Kim Kelly (BYU) def. Sanja Hansson (CSU) 6-4, 6-44. Tara Ferguson (BYU) vs. Allison Lisle (CSU) halted at 3-6, 6-3, 3-35. Dominique Reynolds (BYU) def. Bobbe Vasos (CSU) 6-0, 6-06. Lu Oswald (BYU) def. Catherine Sullivan (CSU) 6-2, 7-5
