March 11, 2005
LAS VEGAS - The 71st-ranked UNLV men's tennis team flexed its muscle in the top half of the singles lineup en route to upsetting No. 60 Ball State 4-3 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Friday.
UNLV, which was once again without regular No. 2 starter Aviram Salomon because of a knee injury, won for the eighth time in the last nine matches and improved to 8-3 overall. The Cardinals had their seven-match wining streak snapped in falling to 9-4.
Ball State was the highest ranked opponent UNLV has beaten since shocking No. 30 San Diego State on March 31, 2002, and the highest non-conference team since upending No. 41 Tulsa on March 25, 2001.
BSU, which is one of the nation's top teams in doubles, began the afternoon by winning two of three matches to take a 1-0 lead. UNLV's lone victory came at No. 2 where Henner Nehles and Sean Hubbard outlasted Tony Epkey and Brad Rhodes 9-8.
The Rebels came alive in singles play, however. No. 91 Joel Kielbowicz continued his tear with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Matt Laramore on court two that marked the Las Vegas native's eighth straight victory.
David Campbell then outlasted Patrick Thompson at No. 5, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 to make it 2-1. Romain Massaro would earn a straight-set win on court three over Epkey, 7-5, 6-4, before Nehles finished off Matt Baccarani at the top spot, 7-6, 3-6, 7-5 to clinch the team victory.
Rebel freshmen Martin Redelinghuys on No. 6 and Jonathan Hooper on No. 4 lost their three-set matches. Hooper's 7-6, 4-6, 7-6 defeat was the first of the New Zealander's college career after a 7-0 start.
"It was really satisfying to see the guys come back after doubles and fight hard on every court vs. a scrappy Ball State team that had been on a roll," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "Now we've got to turn around and get ready to face a top-10 opponent."
UNLV will take a day off before hosting No. 10 Oklahoma State on Sunday beginning at 10 a.m.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#71 UNLV 4, #60 BALL STATE 3At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (BSU EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #15 Baccarani/Thompson (BSU) def. Kielbowicz/Campbell (UNLV) 8-52. Nehles/Sean Hubard (UNLV) def. Epkey/Brad Rhodes (BSU) 9-83. Knable/Newman (BSU) def. Hooper/Redelinghuys (UNLV) 8-2
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. Henner Nehles (UNLV) def. Matt Baccarani (BSU) 7-6, 3-6, 7-52. #91 Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) def. Matt Laramore (BSU) 6-4, 6-43. Romain Massaro (UNLV) def. Tony Epkey (BSU) 7-5, 6-44. Paul Newman (BSU) def. Jonathan Hooper (UNLV) 7-6, 4-6, 7-65. David Campbell (UNLV) def. Patrick Thompson (BSU) 6-1, 1-6, 6-46. Klint Knable (BSU) def. Martin Redelinghuys (UNLV) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
