April 13, 2008
LAS VEGAS - The 51st-ranked UNLV women's tennis team closed regular-season play with a 7-0 blanking of Air Force on Sunday to post its fifth straight win and seventh shutout of the season.
Competing at a neutral site at the Aztec Tennis Center, the Lady Rebels improved to 14-8 overall and finished 6-2 in MWC action. In fact, after getting nipped 4-3 by TCU on April 4, the program outscored its last five opponents 32-3.
UNLV began the day by sweeping three doubles matches for one team point. The 48th-ranked duo of Elena Gantcheva and Kristina Nedeltcheva (21-8) finished perfect in MWC play at 8-0 with an 8-3 at the top sport. Also winning was Anna Maskaljun and Katy Williams at No. 2 and Alisa Razina and Sharon Marin on court three.
UNLV did not lose a set in singles play. Senior star Gantcheva, ranked 35th, improved to 27-10 overall and could earn her third consecutive MWC Player of the Year honor after finishing 7-1 in league play. Sunday she downed Christine Abayan 6-2, 6-0 at the top of the lineup.
With Nedeltcheva taking singles play off, Nikol Dimitrova moved up to the No. 2 position and won her fifth consecutive match, this time 6-4, 6-3 over Lauren Wilson. Maskaljun, just a freshman, improved her rookie record to 23-8 in singles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Samantha Sarkis at No. 3. Also, Katy Williams downed Katrina Eromin 6-0, 6-1 at No. 4, Marin, the team's only other senior, breezed by Christen Monreal 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 and Adrienn Hidvegi won 6-3, 6-2 over Sarah Cassman on court six.
"It's great to finish the regular season with five straight wins in conference play," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "I think we're right where we want to be heading into the tournament."
The Lady Rebels will now await seeding for the MWC Championship, which will take place April 24-26 on the campus of TCU in Fort Worth, Texas.
2008 UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#51 UNLV 7, AIR FORCE 0At Aztec Tennis Center, San Diego
DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #48 Gantcheva/Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) def. Abayan/Erlyn Rudico (AFA) 8-32. Maskaljun/Williams (UNLV) def. Sarkis/Eromin (AFA) 8-23. Alisa Razina/Marin (UNLV) def. Monreal/Wilson (AFA) 8-0ORDER OF FINISH: 3,2*,1
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS SIX TEAM POINTS)1. #35 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Christine Abayan (AFA) 6-2, 6-02. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Lauren Wilson (AFA) 6-4, 6-33. Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Samantha Sarkis (AFA) 6-1, 6-14. Katy Williams (UNLV) def. Katrina Eromin (AFA) 6-0, 6-15. Sharon Marin (UNLV) def. Christen Monreal (AFA) 6-0, 6-16. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Sarah Cassman (AFA) 6-3, 6-2ORDER OF FINISH: 4,5,3*,1,6,2
