April 30, 2004
SAN DIEGO - Host San Diego State won the key doubles point and went on to defeat UNLV 4-2 in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference men's tennis tournament at the Barnes Tennis Center Friday.
The second-seeded Rebels, who had not played a match since beating Air Force back on April 11, finished the season 12-7 overall and 3-2 vs. MWC opponents just one year after closing 2-14 and 0-7. The third-seeded and 69th-ranked Aztecs improved to 11-8 and 4-2 in avenging a loss to UNLV in Las Vegas on April 4. They will face top-seed New Mexico in Saturday's title match.
The Rebels, who captured the doubles point in the teams' earlier meeting, saw SDSU this time take wins at the second and third spots for a crucial 1-0 lead.
In singles play, UNLV needed to win four of six matches to advance. The Rebels actually rallied to take the lead after Joel Kielbowicz won his match at No. 5 over Donita Haynes, 6-4, 5-3 retired, and Marko Blagojevic took care of Mike Coehlo 6-1, 6-4 on Court Six.
The Aztecs, however, went on to win in straight sets throughout the top half of the lineup. At the top spot, 40th-ranked Felix Hardt downed No. 68 Henner Nehles 6-4, 6-1 while Ryan Redondo's 7-5, 6-2 win over Aviram Salomon at No. 2 ended it. The remaining match, which was early in the third set at No. 4, was halted.
"We fought like crazy today but it wasn't enough," UNLV interim head coach Owen Hambrook said of a team that won 10 more matches than a year ago. "After losing the doubles point, every guy gave it their all but congratulations to San Diego State. We got better and better as this season progressed and most of this team is back for next year so this experience will serve us well."
The season may not be over for one Rebel player as Nehles awaits word this week on a berth into the NCAA Singles Championship, which will be held May 26-31 in Tulsa, Okla.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS2004 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT -- SEMIFINALS(3) #69 SAN DIEGO STATE 4, (2) UNLV 2At Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego
DOUBLES: (SDSU EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #56 Hardt/Redondo (SDSU) vs. Nehles/Massaro (UNLV) 6-4 Did Not Finish2. Dickhardt/Haynes (SDSU) def. Salomon/Kielbowicz (UNLV) 8-43. Jung/Armando Carrascosa (SDSU) def. DiMartino/Blagojevic (UNLV) 8-6
SINGLES: (SDSU EARNS THREE TEAM POINTS)1. #40 Felix Hardt (SDSU) def. #68 Henner Nehles (UNLV) 6-4, 6-12. Ryan Redondo (SDSU) def. #121 Aviram Salomon (UNLV) 7-5, 6-23. Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Romain Massaro (UNLV) 6-2, 6-24. David DiMartino (UNLV) vs. Daniel Jung (SDSU) 4-6, 6-3, 2-1 Did Not Finish5. Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) def. Dontia Haynes (SDSU) 6-3, 3-2 retired6. Marko Blagojevic (UNLV) def. Mike Coehlo (SDSU) 6-1, 6-4
