April 26, 2002

LAS VEGAS - UNLV began the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship as the fifth seed and ultimately finished fifth by defeating sixth-seed Air Force 4-0 in the consolation bracket at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Friday.

The Rebels, ranked 53rd, broke a four-match losing skid to close the season 10-12 overall and 3-4 vs. league opponents. The Falcons fell to 14-11 and 0-7.

Playing in windy conditions, UNLV began the match by eking out the doubles point. The teams split the first two completed matches before the Rebel duo of Romain Tug and Thomas Michaud won 9-7 at the second position.

In singles play, UNLV got three straight-set wins to clinch it. Off first was Tug, who downed Kyle Rainey 6-1, 6-0. Andreas Maurer finished off Phil Yim 6-1, 6-0 on court six to make it 3-0. Aviram Salomon then closed things out by downing Chris Zielinski 6-1, 6-3 on No. 3. The remaining matches were halted.

"Obviously we were looking for more at this tournament but it was nice to finish the season with a win," UNLV head coach Larry Easley said.

Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Championship
(5) UNLV 4, (6) AIR FORCE 0
Fifth-Place Match
At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
SINGLES - (UNLV Wins Three Team Points)1.  (65) Thomas Schneiter (UNLV) vs. Eric Pittman (AFA)  Did not finish2.  Romain Tug (UNLV) def. Kyle Rainey (AFA)       6-1, 6-03.  Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. Chris Zielinski (AFA)   6-1, 6-34.  Thomas Michaud (UNLV) vs. Justin Mancinelli (AFA)  Did not finish5.  Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) vs. Tyler McClung (AFA)      Did not finish6.  Andreas Maurer (UNLV) def. Phil Yim (AFA)      6-1, 6-0
DOUBLES -- (UNLV Wins One Team Point)1.  Schneiter/Maurer (UNLV) def. C. Zielinski/G. Zielinksi (AFA) 8-22.  Tug/Michaud (UNLV) def. Pittman/McClung (AFA)       9-73.  Rainey/Mancinelli (AFA) def. Eisinga/Salomon (UNLV) 8-5