March 27, 2008
LAS VEGAS - The UNLV men's tennis team kicked off Mountain West Conference play by downing BYU 4-3 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on Thursday.
The Rebels improved to 7-8 overall by posting their third straight win over the Cougars, who fell to 12-8/0-1 on the year.
UNLV began the afternoon by taking two of three doubles matches for one team point. After Wesley Burrows and Matthew Kunkel won 8-5 on court three, Luca Barlocchi and David Campbell edged their opponents 9-7 at the second position to clinch the team point.
Rebel player Bryan Miller, who had played doubles, bowed out of the singles lineup after falling ill but that didn't stop two Rebels from quickly winning in straight sets. Campbell, the squad's only senior, was off first after a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Daniel Hwang at No. 4. Elliot Wronski, ranked 69th, swept Jonathan Sanchez 6-3, 6-4 at the top spot to give UNLV a 3-1 lead. BYU's wins on courts six and then five drew it to within one but Burrows outlasted Cassidy Mears at No. 3 by the score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to seal the team victory.
"We had a good performance across the board in doubles today," UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook said. "Even down one starter in singles, we managed to get three points there to win a very competitive and important match. It's certainly nice to start the conference season with a victory."
UNLV hosts Air Force on Friday beginning with doubles play at 10 a.m. Admittance is free of charge.
UNLV MEN'S TENNIS RESULTSUNLV 4, BYU 3At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES -- (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. Sanchez/Young (BYU) def. Wronski/Bryan Miller (UNLV) 8-6*2. Barlocchi/Campbell (UNLV) def. Hwang/Shubert (BYU) 9-73. Burrows/Matthew Kunkel (UNLV) def. Mears/Urbina (BYU) 8-5Order of Finish: 3,1,2*
SINGLES -- (UNLV EARNS THREE TEAM POINTS)1. #69 Elliot Wronski (UNLV) def. Jonathan Sanchez (BYU) 6-3, 6-42. Thomas Shubert (BYU) def. Luca Barlocchi (UNLV) 6-4, 6-3*3. Wesley Burrows (UNLV) def. Cassidy Mears (BYU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-34. David Campbell (UNLV) def. Daniel Hwang (BYU) 6-3, 6-15. Evan Urbina (BYU) def. Rony Yeghnazary (UNLV) 7-6, 6-26. AJ Young (BYU) def. Andrew Giuffrida (UNLV) 6-0, 6-4Order of Finish: 4,6,1,5,3*,2*Clinching match
