March 29, 2007
SAN DIEGO - The UNLV men's tennis team opened its Mountain West Conference schedule by defeating No. 69 BYU for the first time in six years in a neutral-site match at the Aztec Tennis Center on Thursday.
The Rebels, who last defeated the Cougars on March 31, 2001, also in a match played in San Diego, improved to 8-10 overall while BYU fell to 9-10 and 0-2 on the year.
UNLV began the day by taking two of three doubles matches for one team point. After BYU struck first by winning 8-3 at No 2, Elliot Wronski and Brett Hunter combined for an 8-6 victory at the top position. At No. 3, David Campbell and Slavko Bijelica were able to hold on for a 9-7 victory to put their team ahead 1-0.
In singles play, the Rebels won the first set on all six courts. Bijelica quickly closed out Cassidy Mears 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5 while Wesley Burrows swept Jonathan Sanchez at No. 4 by the score of 7-5, 6-4. Despite trailing 3-1, the Cougars would not go away and won the second set on all four remaining courts. UNLV, however, would clinch the match in exciting fashion when Luca Barlocchi finished off Cale Planck at No. 6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, and 59th-ranked Wronski outlasted No. 105 James Ludlow 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.
"This was a great team effort," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "The guys came out with a lot of energy in doubles and got the point, which gave us a lot of momentum. Everyone fought extremely hard in singles vs. a good team. BYU pushed us until the end but we were able to finish things off at the top and bottom of the lineup."
The Rebels will next play No. 52 San Diego State on Friday beginning at 10 a.m.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTSUNLV 5, #69 BYU 2At Aztec Tennis Center, San Diego
DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Wronski/Hunter (UNLV) def. Ludlow/Kaufhold (BYU) 8-62. Hand/Sanchez (BYU) def. Jonathan Hooper/Burrows (UNLV) 8-33. Campbell/Bijelica (UNLV) def. Mears/Planck (BYU) 9-7
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. #59 Elliot Wronski (UNLV) def. #105 James Ludlow (BYU) 6-4, 3-6, 7-62. Dominik Kaufhold (BYU) def. Brett Hunter (UNLV) 2-6, 6-4, 6-43. Chip Hand (BYU) def. David Campbell (UNLV) 4-6, 7-6, 6-34. Wesley Burrows (UNLV) def. Jonathan Sanchez (BYU) 7-5, 6-45. Slavko Bijelica (UNLV) def. Cassidy Mears (BYU) 6-3, 6-16. Luca Barlocchi (UNLV) def. Cale Planck (BYU) 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
