March 25, 2006

LAS VEGAS - The 63rd-ranked UNLV women's tennis team evened its Mountain West Conference record at 1-1 with a 5-2 victory over Utah at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Saturday.

The Lady Rebels improved to 8-5 overall while winning for the first time all season after surrendering the doubles point to start the match. The Utes fell to 7-6 and 0-2 in league play.

Utah took a 1-0 lead after earning wins on both the second and third doubles courts. UNLV woke up in singles play, however, as super sophomore Elena Gantcheva improved to 26-8 on the season with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Elizabeth Ferris at the top position.

Also winning in straight sets for the hosts were Nikol Dimitrova on court two, Cindy Treber at No. 4, and Linda Tempelfelde at No. 6. Claire Smith needed a super-tiebreaker victory on court five to give UNLV its fifth and final point.

Treber's 6-2, 6-2 victory over Cinthia Saucedo improved the senior's career record to 60-38, which moved the native of Abymes, France, into a three-way tie for ninth place on the school's all-time singles wins list.

UNLV will close out its home schedule with a 10 a.m. showdown with 36th-ranked San Diego State on Sunday.

UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#63 UNLV 5, UTAH 2At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (UTAH EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Gantcheva/Dimitrova (UNLV) def.Ferris/Saucedo (UU) 8-12. Kwok/Walsh (UU) def.Treber/Mery Constanti (UNLV) 8-43. Reveche/Bourdages (UU) def.Smith/Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) 9-8
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS)1. #22 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Elizabeth Ferris (UU) 6-1, 6-22. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Elizabeth Kwok (UU) 6-1, 6-43. Leigh Walsh (UU) def. Sharon Marin (UNLV) 5-5 retired4. Cindy Treber (UNLV) def. Cinthia Saucedo (UU) 6-2, 6-25. Claire Smith (UNLV) def. Cheyenne Reveche (UU) 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7)6. Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. Karine Bourdages (UU) 6-1, 6-2