April 28, 2001
SALT LAKE CITY - UNLV's 49th-ranked men's tennis team was overpowered by unranked BYU, 4-0, in the finals of the Mountain West Conference championships at the Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club Saturday.
The third-seeded Rebels fell to 13-10 overall and 4-4 in the league while the fifth-seeded Cougars improved to 14-9 and 5-3. BYU also avenged a 4-3 loss to UNLV on March 31.
The rematch began by the Cougars winning the doubles point by taking two of three matches. The Rebels did win at the third spot when Artin Tafazoli and Leslie Eisinga teamed up for an 8-2 finish over Eric Nyman and Matt Stohl.
In singles play, BYU got straight-set victories at courts 2, 3 and 5 to clinch the match and secure their first MWC crown. The shutout score, however, was misleading as UNLV had won the first set in all three remaining matches, which were halted.
"We had our chances today but they wanted it more," UNLV head coach Larry Easley said. "BYU had an advantage playing in its home altitude level and they just came out smoking. They played real well all week."
UNLV, which has not won a conference championship since 1996 when it was a member of the Big West, lost in a league final for only the second time in its history. Also, in Saturday's third-place match, New Mexico downed top-seed San Diego State 4-2 while Utah upended Air Force on Friday to earn fifth place.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS - FINALS
BYU 4, UNLV 0
At Snowbird Canyon Racquet Club, Salt Lake City
SINGLES--
1. Nenad Zivkovic (UNLV) vs. Gert Vilms (BYU) DNF2. Carlos Lozano (BYU) def. Thomas Schneiter (UNLV)6-3, 7-53. Eric Nyman (BYU) def. Danny Erez (UNLV) 6-4, 6-44. Gregor Skorin (UNLV) vs. Anton Rudjik (BYU) DNF5. Michael Gysens (BYU) def. Artin Tafazoli (UNLV) 6-2, 6-26. Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) vs. Jeff Harbach (BYU) DNF
DOUBLES -- (BYU earns one team point)
1. Vilms/Lozano (BYU) def. Zivkovic/Skorin (UNLV) 8-42. Jeff Olsen/Harbach (BYU) def. Erez/Schneiter (UNLV) 8-33. Eisinga/Tafazoli (UNLV) def. Nyman/Matt Stohl (BYU) 8-2
MWC MEN'S TENNIS 2001 CHAMPIONSHIPS
FINAL STANDINGS
PL SCHOOL (TOURNEY RECORD)
1. BYU (3-0)2. UNLV (2-1)3. New Mexico (1-1)4. San Diego State (0-2)5. Utah (1-1)6. Air Force (0-2)
