Jan. 29, 2006
LAS VEGAS - Make it three shutouts in three days.
For the third consecutive day the 41st-ranked UNLV women's tennis team did not lose a point en route to earning a 7-0 victory, this time over Weber State, on a perfect Sunday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
The weekend sweep marked the first time the program posted three consecutive shutouts since blanking Idaho State, Cal State Northridge and Eastern Michigan on Feb. 25-27, 1994.
The Lady Rebels (3-0) began the sun-baked morning by winning all three doubles matches for one team point and then did not lose more than three games in any one set after moving to singles play.
Super sophomore Elena Gantcheva, the nation's eighth-ranked player, improved to 19-5 with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Elana Smit at the top spot. Gantcheva's career record moved to 50-13 as she reached the 50-win mark faster than anyone in school history. The native of Sofia, Bulgaria, needed 63 outings to get her 50th singles win, which bested the 65 matches it took three-time All-American Marianne Vallin in 1993-94.
Also winning for the hosts were Nikol Dimitrova on court two, Sharon Marin at No. 3, Cindy Treber on court four, Claire Smith on court five and Linda Tempelfelde at the sixth position.
Next up, the Lady Rebels will host UC Riverside on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. before hitting the road for the first time this season. UNLV will play at top-ranked Stanford on Feb. 10 and at No. 17 Cal the following day.
"This was an outstanding weekend for us and gives us one of the best starts in school history," head coach Kevin Cory said. "We have set the stage for another home match next weekend before traveling to take on two of the best programs in the country."
UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#41 UNLV 7, WEBER STATE 0At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Gantcheva/Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Smit/Pienaar (WSU) 8-22. Marin/Smith (UNLV) def. Ilie/Venditto (WSU) 8-23. Treber/Mery Constanti (UNLV) def. Pretorius/Kate Ennenga (WSU) 8-6
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS SIX TEAM POINTS)1. #8 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Elana Smit (WSU) 6-0, 6-12. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Alexandra Ilie (WSU) 6-2, 6-23. Sharon Marin (UNLV) def. Karla Pretorius (WSU) 6-2, 6-14. Cindy Treber (UNLV) def. Inalise Pienaar (WSU) 6-1, 6-35. Claire Smith (UNLV) def. Gabriela Venditto (WSU) 6-3, 6-06. Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. McCaye Badger (WSU) 6-2, 6-0
