Sept. 28, 2007

LAS VEGAS - UNLV's contingent went a perfect 9-0 in singles and doubles during the first day of the 2007 UNLV Women's Tennis Fall Invitational at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on Friday.

Playing in the top flight, senior star Elena Gantcheva, ranked 50th in the preseason, blanked Leslie Vial of Northern Arizona 6-0, 6-0.

Also winning in the top flight was new Lady Rebel Katy Williams. The transfer from Long Beach State went three sets in her UNLV debut, finishing off Alex Kichoukin of Tulsa 6-4, 0-6, 6-4.

In flight two, freshman Anna Maskaljun won her college debut, 6-1, 6-3 over Paij Porter of Northern Arizona while junior Nikol Dimitrova went the distance to defeat Ashley Murdoch of LSU, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2.

Sophomore Alisa Razina won her match, 6-1, 6-1, and rookie Adrienn Hidvegi swept her opponent 6-2, 6-1 down at flight three.

In doubles, Gantcheva and Razina combined for an 8-3 win in the top flight, Williams and Maskaljun whitewashed their opponents 8-0 in flight two and Dimitrova and Hidvegi emerged 8-3 in flight three.

"Anytime you go 9-0 on the opening day of the season you have to feel good about where you're at," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "We're looking forward to some challenges tomorrow." Action gets underway at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday.

First-day results of the UNLV Women's Tennis Fall Invitational
TEAM CODE:UNLVLSU=Louisiana StateNAU=Northern ArizonaTU=Tulsa
SINGLESFLIGHT ONEQUARTERFINALS:
#50 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Leslie Vial (NAU) 6-0, 6-0Thalia Barriga (TU) def. Nicole Cantor (LSU) 2-1 retiredKaty Williams (UNLV) def. Alex Kichoukin (TU) 6-4, 0-6, 6-4Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Kim Van Ginkel (NAU) 6-3, 6-1
FLIGHT TWOQUARTERFINALS:Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Agostino Santoro (TU) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Paij Porter (NAU) 6-1, 6-3Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Ashley Murdoch (LSU) 6-0, 4-6, 6-2Marta Marcinkowska (TU) def. Edit Suhajda (NAU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-4
FLIGHT THREEQUARTERFINALS:Orsi Golovics (NAU) def. Kylie Adamek (LSU) 6-0, 6-1Alisa Razina (UNLV) def. Yumi Hasegawa (NAU) 6-1, 6-1Stacey Pinchbeck (NAU) def. Sloane Mathis (LSU) 6-1, 6-1Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Aimee Okia (NAU) 6-2, 6-1
DOUBLESFLIGHT ONESEMIFINALS:Hedberg/Tucker (LSU) def. Barriga/Marcinkowska (TU) 8-5Gantcheva/Razina (UNLV) def. Van Ginkel/Vial (NAU) 8-3
FLIGHT TWOSEMIFINALS:Williams/Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Santoro/Kichoukin (TU) 8-0Murdock/Kantor (LSU) def. Golovics/Suhadjda (NAU) 8-4
FLIGHT THREESEMIFINALS:Spencer/Adamek (LSU) def. Hasagawa/Porter (NAU) 8-4Dimitrova/Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Pinchbeck/Oki (NAU) 8-3