April 6, 2008
LAS VEGAS - Elena Gantcheva finished her home UNLV tennis career the same way she started it, by winning.
The senior star upped her final career record at Fertitta Tennis Complex to an en eye-popping 58-14 overall (45-10 in dual matches) at the top of the lineup while leading the 58th-ranked Lady Rebels to a convincing 5-2 victory over San Diego State on Sunday.
Enjoying above-average spring temperatures, the Lady Rebels improved to 12-8 overall and 3-2 in Mountain West Conference play while the Aztecs fell to 7-11/0-5. It marked UNLV's sixth straight win over its league rival to take a 12-10 lead in the all-time series.
The morning opened with doubles play and the hosts swept on the three courts. The 48th-ranked duo of Elena Gantcheva and Kristina Nedeltcheva stayed perfect in MWC play at 5-0 with an 8-2 victory over Kathryn Kitts and Ellie Krausova. The team's only other senior, Sharon Marin, also won her doubles match, teaming with Alisa Razina for an 8-1 win at No. 2. Anna Maskaljun and Katy Williams then paired together on court three for an 8-2 victory.
In singles play, Gantcheva, ranked 35th nationally, made short work of Holly Bagshaw at No. 1, 6-2, 6-0 to up her senior record to 24-10. Also winning in straight sets for the Lady Rebels was Nedeltcheva, 6-3, 7-6 over Julia Trunk at No. 2, and Nikol Dimitrova, 6-3, 6-2 over Krausova at No. 3. SDSU got its two points at courts four and five before Maskaljun ended the day by holding off Esther Cadua in a marathon 7-6, 6-7, 1-0 (10-7) final.
"It was nice to send off our two seniors with a win over a rival like San Diego State," UNLV head coach Kevin Cory said. "Both Elena and Sharon have meant so much to our program both on the court and in the classroom. We've played three hard matches this weekend and won two of them, so I am pleased with our effort as we look to finish up the regular-season strong."
The Lady Rebels begin a final weekend of MWC play by traveling to face Wyoming on Friday in a neutral-site setting in San Diego.
UNLV WOMEN'S TENNIS RESULTS#58 UNLV 5, SAN DIEGO STATE 2At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
DOUBLES: (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)1. #48 Gantcheva/Nedeltcheva (UNLV) def. Krausova/Kathryn Kitts (SDSU) 8-22. Marin/Alisa Razina (UNLV) def. Bagshaw/Nielsen (SDSU) 8-13. Williams/Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Cadua/Yusupov (SDSU) 8-2ORDER OF FINISH: 1,2*,3
SINGLES: (UNLV EARNS FOUR TEAM POINTS)1. #35 Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Holly Bagshaw (SDSU) 6-2, 6-02. Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) def. Julia Trunk (SDSU) 6-3, 7-63. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Ellie Krausova (SDSU) 6-3, 6-24. Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Esther Cadua (SDSU) 7-6, 6-7, 1-0 (10-7)5. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) def. Katy Williams (UNLV) 6-4, 7-66. Sisse Nielsen (SDSU) def. Sharon Marin (UNLV) 6-2, 6-3ORDER OF FINISH: 1,3,2*,6,5,4*Clinching Match,/pre>
