March 29, 2009
SAN DIEGO - For the second consecutive day, the 71st-ranked UNLV women's tennis team opened up by losing the doubles point. And for the second time in as many matches, the Lady Rebels responded by making up for it in singles en route to upsetting an opponent ranked in the nation's top 32. On Sunday, it was a 5-2 victory over No. 29 San Diego State on the Aztecs' own campus courts.
The surging Lady Rebels, who have now beaten SDSU seven straight times, improved to 12-6 on the year and moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference with BYU and Utah at 3-0. The Aztecs fell to 12-5 and 1-2.
The hosts earned the 1-0 lead by taking doubles matches on courts two and three. UNLV, however, did pick up a victory at the top of the lineup when Kristina Nedeltcheva and Katy Williams combined to upset No. 40 Holly Bagshaw and Julia Trunk, 8-2, to improve to 18-6 on the year.
In singles, the Lady Rebels rallied by winning all four matches that extended to three sets, plus picking up one straight-set victory.
Nedeltcheva, ranked 123rd, came back from being down 4-1 in the second set to outlast Julia Trunk 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 at the top position. Nikol Dimitrova continued her mastery of conference opposition with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 win over Emma Cioffi at No. 2, which improved the senior to 19-7 all-time vs. MWC players in the regular season. The team's other senior, Williams, eased by Esther Cadua 6-3, 6-1 at the third spot; freshman Rumyana Terzieva got by Milana Yusupov 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 at No. 5; and Alisa Razina earned a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 victory over Sierra Ellison on court six.
"We turned in a tremendous weekend that was capped by beating a very good top-30 program on their home courts," said UNLV head coach Kevin Cory. "This gives us a big boost in the conference standings. The girls came back again after losing a tough doubles point and to win four three-setters really shows the character on this team and that our hard work is paying off."
UNLV will next head to Colorado Springs for three more league matches, starting with Air Force on Friday morning.
#71 UNLV 5, #29 SAN DIEGO STATE 2March 29, 2009, at Aztec Tennis Center, San Diego
Singles competition1. #123 Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) def. Julia Trunk (SDSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-62. Nikol Dimitrova (UNLV) def. Emma Cioffi (SDSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-43. Katy Williams (UNLV) def. Esther Cadua (SDSU) 6-3, 6-14. Roxanne Ellison (SDSU) def. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) 6-1, 6-45. Rumyana Terzieva (UNLV) def. Milana Yusupov (SDSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-16. Alisa Razina (UNLV) def. Sierra Ellison (SDSU) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4
Doubles competition1. Nedeltcheva/Williams (UNLV) def. #40 Trunk/Holly Bagshaw (SDSU) 8-22. R. Ellison/S. Elliso (SDSU) def. Razina/Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) 8-43. Cadua/Cioffi (SDSU) def. Dimitrova/Terzieva (UNLV) 8-5
