April 29, 2005

SAN DIEGO - The 55th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team came within one set of posting one of the biggest upsets in program history but ultimately fell to top-seeded and 41st-ranked San Diego State 4-3 in the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Championship on Friday at the Barnes Tennis Center.

The Rebels, who were seeded fourth, closed their season at 16-8 in heart-breaking fashion. The Aztecs (16-5), who rolled to a perfect record in the league this spring, won a spirited doubles session to begin the afternoon by taking both completed matches by the score of 8-5 to claim a 1-0 lead.

In singles play, UNLV rallied behind senior MWC Player of the Year and 95th-ranked Henner Nehles, who won at the top spot over 81st-ranked Benedikt Stronk 6-2, 7-5. Nehles, who has won 10 straight, improved his total to 28, which marks the sixth-most victories in a season by a Rebel and the most since Roger Pettersson posted 30 in 1996. Nehles will have a chance to add to that total at next month's NCAA Singles Championship.

Fellow-senior Aviram Salomon took three sets to finish off his opponent - 119th-ranked Armando Carrascosa -- on court three, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

The Rebels eventually tied the match when Romain Massaro rallied past Dontia Hanyes at the fifth position, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. A trip to the finals eventually came down to court two where 98th-ranked Joel Kielbowicz won his first set 6-4 over No. 125 Markus Dickhardt. However, the home-standing Aztec came back to take the final two sets, 6-4, 6-2 to earn his team the win.

"While we are all disappointed by the end result, this was just a great tennis match," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "Every one of our guys fought like crazy today and we almost got there. Overall, this has a been a terrific season. The saddest part is that this was the last time two great Rebels -- Henner Nehles and Aviram Salomon -- will play together. It has been a real joy coaching both of them."

UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTSMOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP -- SEMIFINALS#41 San Diego State 4, #55 UNLV 3At Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego
DOUBLES (SDSU WINS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Kielbowicz/Campbell (UNLV) vs. Stronk/Carrascosa (SDSU), 6-5, DNF2. Haynes/Jung (SDSU) def. Nehles/Hubbard (UNLV), 8-53. Romero/Dickhardt (SDSU) def. Salomon/Martin Redolinghuys (UNLV), 8-5
SINGLES (SDSU WINS THREE TEAM POINTS)1. No. 95 Henner Nehles (UNLV) def. No. 81 Benedikt Stronk (SDSU) 6-2, 7-52. No. 125 Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. No. 98 Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) 4-6, 6-4, 6-23. Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. No. 119 Armando Carrascosa (SDSU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-24. Chris Groh (SDSU) def. David Campbell (UNLV) 6-2, 1-6, 6-15. Romain Massaro (UNLV) def. Dontia Haynes (SDSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-46. Daniel Jung (SDSU) def. Jonathan Hooper (UNLV) 6-2, 6-3