March 31, 2002

LAS VEGAS - The 58th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team celebrated its annual senior day in a big way by upsetting No. 30 San Diego State 6-1 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Sunday.

The Rebels improved to 9-8 overall, including 8-3 at home, and 2-1 in Mountain West Conference play while the Aztecs dipped to 10-8 and 2-1. SDSU, which was competing without the league's top player, 22nd-ranked Oliver Maiberger, because of a viral infection, was the highest-ranked team to fall to UNLV since No. 18 Oklahoma State on Feb. 24, 2001.

The Aztecs began the day by sweeping three doubles matches for one team point.

In singles play, the teams split the first sets on the six courts. UNLV, however, tied things when Andreas Maurer won 6-1, 7-5 at No. 6 over Khalid Naffa. Aviram Salomon then won the day's only other straight-set match, 6-2, 7-6 (4), on No. 3 to make it 2-1 for the hosts. After losing the first set 6-0, Romain Tug rallied to win 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the second position over Valentino Pest. Thomas Michaud's victory over Travis Hasson, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, at No. 4 clinched the team victory before UNLV made it 5-1 with a win from Leslie Eisinga at No. 5.

In the day's final match, UNLV's lone senior, 68th-ranked Thomas Schneiter rallied to win a second-set tiebreaker 8-6 and then cruised over Felix Hardt 3-6, 7-6, 6-0. The native of Worb, Switzerland, won for the 12th time in his last 13 outings to improve to 19-6 overall.

"Even though San Diego State is a different team without Maiberger, our guys were tough today and Schneiter got a big win over a talented player on senior day," UNLV head coach Larry Easley said. "If we can play like this in the conference tournament (April 25-27 at UNLV), we will be in the ballgame."

Up next, the Rebels will play their final non-conference match of the season by traveling to No. 11 Pepperdine on Saturday.

MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
(#58) UNLV 6, (#30) SAN DIEGO STATE 1
At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
SINGLES-(UNLV EARNS SIX TEAM POINTS)1. (68) Thomas Schneiter (UNLV) def. Felix Hardt (SDSU) 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-02. Romain Tug (UNLV) def. Valentino Pest (SDSU)        0-6, 6-4, 6-43. Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. Ryan Redondo (SDSU)  6-2, 7-6 (4)4. Thomas Michaud (UNLV) def. Travis Hasson (SDSU) 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-15. Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) def. Gabe Coren (SDSU)        2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-36. Andreas Maurer (UNLV) def. Khalid Naffa (SDSU)  6-1, 7-5ORDER OF FINISH: 6-3-2-4-5-1
DOUBLES-(SDSU EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Hardt/Pest (SDSU) def. Michaud/Eisinga (UNLV)    8-42. Hasson/Coren (SDSU) def. Schneiter/Maurer (UNLV)     8-63. Redondo/Naffa (SDSU) def. Salomon/Tug (UNLV)     8-2ORDER OF FINISH: 3-1-2