Feb. 26, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Host UNLV eked out the doubles point and then held on in singles to post a thrilling upset of 21st-ranked Fresno State 4-3 in the semifinals of the fourth annual Lady Rebel Classic at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Saturday.
The 48th-ranked Lady Rebels (3-0) will face No. 15 Tulane in Sunday's championship match beginning at noon because the Green Wave rallied past No. 30 New Mexico 4-3 in the other semifinal.
Fresno State, which was the defending champion of the event, was the highest ranked opponent UNLV has defeated since shocking No. 17 William & Mary on March 6, 2002. The loss was just the second by the Bulldogs to a team outside the top 25 since the beginning of the 2000 season. Fresno State began the day by quickly winning the No. 1 doubles match before UNLV fought back with a victory on court two. With pressure on, the Lady Rebel team of Gyorgyi Zsiros and Claire Smith survived to earn the point with a 9-8 (7-4 in the tiebreaker) win at No. 3 over Jacqui Haskett and Fadzai Masiyazi.
In singles play, Fresno State quickly pulled even when UNLV freshman Sharon Marin had to retire because of a back injury during the first set at No. 3. The teams then split matches on courts 5-6 with UNLV's win coming from Smith at No. 6. With the team score tied at two, 21st-ranked Elena Gantcheva completed a big comeback by winning the final nine games of her match at the top spot to rally past Lucia Tallo 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. The victory improved the freshman sensation to 19-2 overall.
However, with storm clouds looming, the Bulldogs then squared things by taking the match at No. 2, which put all eyes on court four where Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis was battling Courtney Jantz. Ortiz-Luis looked to be sailing toward a straight-set win before Jantz rallied from down 5-3 in the second set to force and win a tiebreaker. After quickly falling behind 2-0 in the deciding set, Ortiz-Luis, a senior that led the team in wins a year ago, exploded to take six straight games and emerge from the marathon match-up, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2 and give her team its biggest non-conference win in three years.
"Today I witnessed one of the most exciting college matches I've ever been a part of," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "I have a lot of respect for Fresno State and feel fortunate to get the win. Our entire team stepped it up against a big challenge. I'm extremely proud of Anne Claire for showing such heart in closing out her match.
"Sunday presents another huge challenge for us, but one that we are looking forward to," Cory said. "We lost 7-0 to Tulane in this tournament here last year so we know what we are up against."
Fresno State will face New Mexico in Sunday's third-place match beginning at 9 a.m. Also, because of two Big 12 Conference teams not wanting to play each other here, the consolation opponents have been switched. Oklahoma State will face Cal State Northridge at 9 a.m. while Texas Tech will play Northern Arizona at noon.
FRIDAY#15 Tulane 7, Cal State Northridge 0#30 New Mexico 5, Texas Tech 2
#48 UNLV 7, Northern Arizona 0#21 Fresno State 4, Oklahoma State 3
SATURDAYWINNERS' BRACKET#15 Tulane 4, #30 New Mexico 3#48 UNLV 4, #21 Fresno State 3
LOSERS' BRACKETTexas Tech 6, Cal State Northridge 1Oklahoma State 7, Northern Arizona 0
SUNDAYChampionship: #15 Tulane vs. #48 UNLV 12 p.m.3rd Place: #30 New Mexico vs. #21 Fresno State 9 a.m.Consolation: Texas Tech vs. Northern Arizona 12 p.m.Consolation: Oklahoma State vs. CS Northridge 9 a.m.
UNLV LADY REBEL CLASSICROUND TWO - FRIDAY, FEB. 26At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
#48 UNLV 4, #21 FRESNO STATE 3DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #49 Sainz/Jantz (FS) def. Gantcheva/Marin (UNLV) 8-32. Ortiz-Luis/Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. Winterhalter/Tallo (FS) 8-53. Zsiros/Smith (UNLV) def. Haskett/Masiyazi (FS) 9-8
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS THREE TEAM POINTS)1. #21 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Lucia Tallo (FS) 3-6, 6-2, 6-02. Katharina Winterhalter (FS) def. Gyorgyi Zsiros (UNLV) 6-4, 3-6, 6-03. Luica Sainz (FS) def. Sharon Marin (UNLV) 5-2, retired4. Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis (UNLV) def. Courtney Jantz (FS) 6-4, 6-7, 6-25. Jacqui Haskett (FS) def. Cindy Treber (UNLV) 6-2, 6-36. Claire Smith (UNLV) def. Fadzai Masiyazi (FS) 6-3, 6-0
#15 TULANE 4, #30 NEW MEXICO 3DOUBLES: (UNM EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #5 Kovacek/Gersic (UNM) def. Ivanov/Ivanov (TU) 9-72. Heidbrink/Robertson (UNM) def. Kuehn/Magas (TU) 8-43. Kockott/Saaibi (TU) def. Quintal/Scott (UNM) 8-5
SINGLES: (TU EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. #35 Maja Kovacek (UNM) def. Maria Ivanov (TU) 6-2, 6-32. Iva Gersic (UNM) def. #55 Jenny Kuehn (TU) 6-4, 6-23. #49 Nancy Kockott (TU) def. Michelle Heidbrink (UNM) 6-4, 6-24. Dayra Ivanov (TU) def. Nora Quintal (UNM) 6-1, 6-45. Dorottya Magas (TU) def. Lucy Scott (UNM) 7-5, 7-56. Ana Saaibi (TU) def. Tiffany Robertson (UNM) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
OKLAHOMA STATE 7, NORTHERN ARIZONA 0DOUBLES: (OSU EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Tkachenko/Kubicikova (OSU) def. Schmandt/McClelland (NAU) 8-12. Simmons/Collins (OSU) def. Dille/Lister (NAU) 8-13. Masnic/Sandra Blajer (OSU) def. Shurr/Hunt (NAU) 8-2
SINGLES: (OSU EARNS SIX TEAM POINTS)1. Iryna Tkachenko (OSU) def. Julie Schmandt (NAU) 6-2, 6-32. Jana Kubicikova (OSU) def. Susan McClelland (NAU) 7-5, 6-13. Zana Masnic (OSU) def. Ashley Dille (NAU) 6-1, 6-14. Lauren Simmons (OSU) def. Sheena Lister (NAU) 6-0, 6-15. Jessica Collins (OSU) def. Ashley Hunt (NAU) 6-2, 6-16. Jennifer Poskitt (OSU) def. Daniela Renovales (NAU) 6-1, 6-0
TEXAS TECH 6, CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 1DOUBLES: (TT EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Browning/Wagley (TT) def. Gutierrez/Myinttun (CSUN) 8-32. Duru/Durham (TT) def. Furuta/Hashimoto (CSUN) 9-83. Hunter/Kovacic (TT) def. Kumar/Krasinska (CSUN) 8-4
SINGLES: (TT EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS)1. Cigdem Duru (TT) def. Silvia Gutierrez (CSUN) 6-1, 3-6, 6-42. Canna Furuta (CSUN) def. Janet Durham (TT) 6-2, 6-13. Tara Browning (TT) def. YuYu Myinttun (CSUN) 6-4, 7-54. Erin Hunter (TT) def. Yasuyo Hashimoto (CSUN) 6-1, 6-35. Katja Kovacic (TT) def. Kasia Krasinska (CSUN) 1-6, 6-4, 6-46. Lakann Wagley (TT) def. Sonya Kumar (CSUN) 6-0, 6-3
