March 26, 2006

LAS VEGAS - The 63rd-ranked UNLV women's tennis team turned in a sensational singles performance to upset No. 36 San Diego State in a key Mountain West Conference match Sunday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

The Lady Rebels improved to 9-5 overall and 2-1 in the league while the Aztecs saw their eight-match winning streak snapped in falling to 11-5. UNLV closed out its home schedule with an 8-3 mark after honoring its only senior, Cindy Treber, before the match. SDSU was the highest-ranked team to fall to the Lady Rebels in exactly one year and one day since UNLV also downed the then-No. 33 Aztecs on March 25, 2005.

SDSU opened the morning by winning the top two doubles matches to grab a 1-0 lead. The hosts' lone win came on the third court from the team of Treber and Mery Constanti.

The Lady Rebels rebounded in a big way in singles play by winning the first set on five of six courts. At the top spot, 22nd-ranked super sophomore Elena Gantcheva improved to 27-8 on the year with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Dita Hauerlandova.

Nikol Dimitrova won 6-2, 6-1 on court two, Sharon Marin held on for a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory at No. 3, Claire Smith won 6-1, 6-2 on court five and Linda Tempelfelde prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 at the sixth position.

"This was a big win for us and a nice way to send out our lone senior," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "After suffering through so many 4-3 losses to higher-ranked teams this season, I am proud that we went out in singles and earned a very important conference victory."

UNLV will enjoy a week off before taking on Wyoming in a neutral-site match in San Diego on April 7.

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UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#63 UNLV 5, #36 SAN DIEGO STATE 2At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (SDSU EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Hauerlandova/Nielsen (SDSU) def. Gantcheva/Dimitrova (UNLV) 8-32. Vidov/Krausova (SDSU) def. Smith/Marin (UNLV) 8-43. Treber/Mery Constanti (UNLV) def. Yusupov/Cadua (SDSU) 8-3
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS)1. #22 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Dita Hauerlandova (SDSU) 6-0, 6-12. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Alesya Vidov (SDSU) 6-2, 6-13. Sharon Marin (UNLV) def. Eliska Krausova (SDSU) 6-3, 1-6, 6-34. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Cindy Treber (UNLV) 3-6, 7-5, 6-35. Claire Smith (UNLV) def. Sisse Nielsen (SDSU) 6-1, 6-26. Linda Tempelfelde (UNLV) def. Esther Cadua (SDSU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6