March 18, 2005

LAS VEGAS - Seventh-ranked Duke took both three-set singles matches to hold on for a 5-2 win over 32nd-ranked UNLV in a cold and windy women's tennis meeting at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Friday.

The Lady Rebels, who were looking for their first-ever win over a top-10 opponent, fell to 7-4 overall while the Blue Devils improved to 10-3.

UNLV began the afternoon by winning two of three doubles matches for one team point. The Lady Rebel duo of Elena Gantcheva and Sharon Marin downed Jennifer Zika and Tory Zawacki 8-5 at the top spot and Gyorgyi Zsiros and Claire Smith teamed up for a thrilling 9-7 win at No. 3 over 42nd-ranked Katie Blaszak and Saras Arasu to give the hosts an 8-2 record this season in doubles play.

Needing to split the six singles matches to post the upset, UNLV quickly lost straight-setters on courts 3-5 to fall behind 3-1. However, in the only match featuring ranked players, No. 29 Gantcheva finished off No. 35 Blaszak at the top spot, 6-4, 7-6 to keep her team alive. Gantcheva improved to 25-3 on the year, including 11-2 vs. ranked opponents.

The remaining courts both split sets before Zawacki clinched the match for Duke with a grueling 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 win over Claire Smith at No. 6. Jackie Carleton closed things with a 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 win over Zsiros at No. 2.

"This was another hard-fought battle with one of the elite teams in college tennis," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "A few points here and there and we win this match. You have to give Duke credit for closing strong but I also commend my players on fighting to the end."

UNLV is off until hosting top-ranked Stanford on March 23.

UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#7 DUKE 5, #32 UNLV 2At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Gantcheva/Marin (UNLV) def. Zika/Zawacki (DUKE) 8-52. Carleton/Kristin Cargill (DUKE) def. Ortiz-Luis/Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) 8-23. Zsiros/Smith (UNLV) def. #42 Blaszak/Arasu (DUKE) 9-7
SINGLES: (DUKE EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS)1. #29 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. #35 Katie Blaszak (DUKE) 6-4, 7-62. Jackie Carleton (DUKE) def. Gyorgyi Zsiros (UNLV) 6-3, 0-6, 6-43. Jennifer Zika (DUKE) def. Sharon Marin (UNLV) 6-2, 6-44. Saras Arasu (DUKE) def. Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis (UNLV) 6-0, 6-25. Clelia Deltour (DUKE) def. Cindy Treber (UNLV) 6-2, 6-26. Tory Zawacki (DUKE) def. Claire Smith (UNLV) 7-6, 4-6, 6-4