April 6, 2002

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Agnieszka Abram came back to win a decisive third set to help her team avoid a major upset as the 16th-ranked UNLV women's tennis team got by upstart Air Force 4-3 at the Academy Tennis Courts Saturday.

The Lady Rebels won their third straight to improve to 16-3 overall and 5-1 in the league while the Falcons fell to 11-10 and 0-4.

Air Force opened the day by taking two of three doubles matches to take a 1-0 lead.

In singles play, the Falcons got wins at the top and bottom of the lineup, including Brooke Parsons upsetting No. 84 Paulina Janus at the top spot, 6-3, 7-6. Scoring for the visitors were Gyorgyi Zsiros, 6-0, 6-0, over Heather Shelby at No. 2, and Marianne Bakken, 6-4, 6-2, over Gina Black at No. 5. Tracie Chong then finished off Kelli O'Bryant 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 on the fourth court to even the team score at three apiece before Abram rallied vs. Laura Nigro 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 3.

"Agnieszka showed a lot of courage and I am proud of how she led her team to victory today," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "We survived an Air Force team that played a great match. Competing at 7,000-feet altitude (in Colorado Springs) is a big challenge for us and hopefully we can play better tomorrow to finish up."

The second-place Lady Rebels will close out their regular season vs. No. 50 New Mexico Sunday in Colorado Springs.

UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
(#16) UNLV 4, AIR FORCE 3
At Academy Tennis Courts, Colorado Springs
SINGLES-(UNLV EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. Brooke Parsons (AFA) def. (84) Paulina Janus (UNLV)  6-3, 7-62. (92) Gyogyi Zsiros (UNLV) def. Heather Shelby (AFA)  6-0, 6-03. Agnieszka Abram (UNLV) def. Laura Nigro (AFA)  2-6, 6-4, 6-34. Tracie Chong (UNLV) def. Kelli O'Bryant (AFA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-25. Marianne Bakken (UNLV) def. Gina Black (AFA)       6-4, 6-26. Ashley Gee (AFA) def. Amy Hadziosmanovic (UNLV)     6-3, 6-2
DOUBLES-(AFA EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Parsons/Nigro (AFA) def. Janus/Abram (UNLV)      8-22. Bakken/Zsiros (UNLV) def. Shelby/Black (AFA)     8-33. O'Bryant/Gee (AFA) def. Chong/Hadziosmanovic (UNLV)  8-6