Oct. 6, 2004

LAS VEGAS - UNLV freshman standout Elena Gantcheva won her seventh match in five days Wednesday to advance to the Main Draw of the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Classic at Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

This time Gantcheva had to rally to stay alive as she improved to 9-0 in her brief college career. Cramping early from the strain of playing so many matches, the rookie dropped the first set but regrouped and came back to defeat 56th-ranked Boglarka Berecz of perennial college tennis power Florida, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1.

"This has been an amazing run four our new freshman Elena," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "She has already established herself as one of the nation's top players and this is only her second event as a collegian. She just keeps stepping up and succeeding."

Gantcheva, who has already beaten four ranked players this week, moves on to the Main Draw of the elite event that is the first of three college tennis majors each season.

Her first round opponent will be 29th-ranked Daniela Muscolino of Tulsa.

2004 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Classic Day FiveRound SevenElena Gantcheva (UNLV)def. #56 Boglarka Berecz (FLORIDA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1