Jan. 28, 2006
SAN DIEGO - The 59th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team dropped an excruciatingly close doubles point and could not recover in a 5-2 loss to No. 37 San Diego at the USD West Courts on Saturday.
The Rebels fell to 1-1 while the Toreros improved to 2-1.
After UNLV's No. 2 doubles team lost 9-7, the Rebels' No. 3 duo, which was made up of Romain Massaro and Wesley Burrows, used a tiebreaker to emerge with a 9-8 win. The team point came down to the top spot where Joel Kielbowicz and David Campbell failed to convert a match point and eventually fell 9-7.
In singles play, Kielbowicz, Campbell and Jonathan Hooper went down in straight sets. However, UNLV won two of three super-tiebreakers for its points. Massaro outlasted Mirza Koristovic 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8) on court three while newcomer Elliot Wronski improved to 2-0 in his young career with a 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) victory at No. 5. At the third position, Brett Hunter was nipped 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-7) by Oscar Plotnik.
"It was frustrating to lose the doubles point because if we finish it out, it's an entirely different match" UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "But we fought hard against a talented San Diego team and a tough loss like this will only make us better."
The Rebels open their home schedule next weekend by hosting Weber State on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS
#37 SAN DIEGO 5, #59 UNLV 2
At USD West Tennis Courts, San Diego, CA
DOUBLES: (USD EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Yesern/Liversage (USD) def.Kielbowicz/Campbell (UNLV) 9-72. Mouly/Plotnik (USD) def.Hooper/Hunter (UNLV) 9-73. Massaro/Wesley Burrows (UNLV) def.Matt Ozurovich/Koristovic (USD) 9-8 (4)
SINGLES: (USD EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. Pierrick Yesern (USD) def. Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) 6-1, 6-32. Romain Massaro (UNLV) def. Mirza Koristovic (USD) 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (10-8)3. Oscar Plotnik (USD) def. Brett Hunter (UNLV) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (10-7)4. Thomas Liversage (USD) def. David Campbell (UNLV) 6-0, 6-45. Elliot Wronski (UNLV) def. Jonas Mouly (USD) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)6. Chris Loetzee (USD) def. Jonathan Hooper (UNLV) 6-3, 6-4
