May 10, 2003
SEATTLE - The 30th-ranked UNLV women's tennis team was ousted from the NCAA Championships Saturday with a 4-1 first-round loss to No. 25 Illinois at Quillian Stadium on the campus of the University of Washington.
The Lady Rebels failed to reach the second round of the national event for the second consecutive season and third time in four all-time trips.
UNLV fell to 16-6 overall after losing three of its last four matches. The Illini improved to 17-7 and will face host Washington in Sunday's second round for the right to travel to the Round of 16 in Gainesville, Fla. The Huskies shut out Southern 4-0 in Saturday's other first-round match.
Illinois began the day by taking doubles matches at the top two positions for one team point. The match on court three was then halted.
In singles play, UNLV had to win four of six matches to rally but only managed one victory. Sophomore Tracie Chong, ranked 120th, swept Brianna Knue at the fourth position 6-4, 7-5. It marked Chong's 50th career victory against only 19 defeats.
After Illinois took a 3-1 lead with straight-set wins at courts three and five, the match ended at the top position, where Gyorgyi Zsiros took 76th-ranked Jennifer McGaffigan to three sets before falling 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. The final two matches were then halted with UNLV ahead.
"This was a disappointing way to end the year," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "We fought hard in singles and at one point we were ahead on four courts and thought we could pull it out. However, hats off to a fine Illinois team that really finished well."
UNLV, which rose to as high as No. 15 in the nation in February, still gets to add another trophy to its case after winning its first-ever regular-season conference championship. The Lady Rebels have won three Mountain West regular-season or tournament titles in Cory's four years at the school.
"I'm proud of all we accomplished this spring and we are already looking forward to next year," Cory said.
2003 NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
FIRST ROUND
(#25) ILLINOIS 4, (#30) UNLV 1
At Quillian Stadium, University of Washington, Seattle
SINGLES -- (ILL EARNS THREE TEAM POINTS)
1. (76) Jennifer McGaffigan (ILL) def. Gyorgyi Zsiros (UNLV) 6-1, 2-6, 6-22. Paulina Janus (UNLV) vs. (88) Tiffany Eklov (ILL) Did Not Finish3. Eldina Fazlik (ILL) def. Agnieszka Abram (UNLV) 6-0, 6-44. (120) Tracie Chong (UNLV) def. Brianna Knue (ILL) 6-4, 7-55. Michelle Webb (ILL) def. Cindy Treber (UNLV) 6-2, 6-46. Amy Hadziosmanovic (UNLV) vs. Leila Cehajic (ILL) Did Not Finish
DOUBLES -- (ILL EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)
1. (25) McGaffigan/Webb (ILL) def. Janus/Abram (UNLV) 8-12. Eklov/Fazlik (ILL) def. Chong/Treber (UNLV) 8-33. Zsiros/Hadziosmanovic (UNLV) vs. Knue/Cehajic (ILL) Did Not Finish
