Feb. 20, 2005

LAS VEGAS - The 72nd-ranked UNLV men's tennis team downed unranked Hawaii 5-2 Sunday at the Fertitta Tennix Complex to earn its seventh straight victory, which marks its longest winning streak in eight years.

The Rebels improved to 7-2 overall while the Rainbow Warriors fell to 2-7. It marks the first time UNLV has won seven consecutive dual matches since 1997.

With the recent unusually wet desert weather finally holding off for a day, UNLV began the morning by sweeping three doubles matches for one team point and then quickly clinched the overall win with three straight-set singles victories. After the hosts went ahead 5-0, UH got on the board by winning the final two matches, including using a third-set super-tiebreaker on court three.

Even with senior starter Aviram Salomon taking the day off, UNLV showed its power at the top of the lineup as 38th-ranked Henner Nehles won his seventh straight match, 6-1, 6-3, over Dalibor Ptak to improve to 16-5 on the year, while Joel Kielbowicz cruised by Bryon Weinberg at the second spot, 6-0, 6-1. Also winning for UNLV were Jonathan Hooper at No. 4, 6-3, 7-5, and David Campbell at the fifth position, 6-4, 7-5.

"This was a good showing against a well-coached opponent," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "Now we have some time to rest and get better as we look forward to the rest of our non-conference schedule."

UNLV is off until hosting South Carolina out of the SEC on Wednesday, March 9.

UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
NO. 72 UNLV 5, HAWAII 2
At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas

DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)
1. Nehles/Hubbard (UNLV) def. Ptak/Sceats (UH) 8-3
2. Kielbowicz/Campbell (UNLV) def. Diepraam/Lajolla (UH) 8-4
3. Hooper/Martin Redelinghuys (UNLV) def. Weinberg/Faulk (UH) 9-8 (3)

SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)
1. #38 Henner Nehles (UNLV) def. Dalibor Ptak (UH) 6-1, 6-3
2. Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) def. Bryon Weiberg (UH) 6-0, 6-1
3. Ryan Sceats (UH) def. Romain Massaro (UNLV) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8)
4. Jonathan Hooper (UNLV) def. Jarrod Diepraam (UH) 6-3, 7-5
5. David Campbell (UNLV) def. Chad Faulk (UH) 6-4, 7-5
6. Derrick Lajola (UH) def. Sean Hubbard (UNLV) 7-6, 6-4