April 10, 2010

Box Score

LAS VEGAS - The 35th-ranked UNLV women's tennis team celebrated Senior Day by finishing with an undefeated home record for only the second time in program history after a key 4-3 victory over No. 73 TCU Saturday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

The Lady Rebels improved their home record to 16-0, joining only the 1995 squad that went 14-0 in Las Vegas. UNLV also raised its overall record to 17-3, which is its best effort after 20 matches since posting the same mark at this point in 2002. Head coach Kevin Cory's team also improved to 4-1 in MWC play to stay in the hunt for a league title while the Horned Frogs fell to 6-14/3-2.

The hosts opened a 1-0 lead by winning two of three doubles matches. Kristina Nedeltcheva and Jana Albers upset the 40th-ranked duo of Kayla Duncan and Katarina Tuohimaa 8-5 at the top spot while Anna Maskaljun and Alisa Razina combined for an 8-4 victory on court two over Nina Munch-Soegaard and Maria Babanova.

The teams went on to split six singles matches, none of which went three sets.

Albers, ranked 111th, bested Duncan at the second position 6-2, 6-2; Adrienn Hidvegi won by the same score over Idunn Hertberg at No. 4; and Maskaljun downed Babanovaa 6-1, 6-3 on court five.

It made for a winning final regular-season appearance by the club's two seniors -- Nedeltcheva and Razina. However, they and their teammates will get to play at least once more at Fertitta in 2010 because UNLV hosts the MWC tournament at the end of the month.

"The girls have done a tremendous job competing hard and we've beaten a lot of good teams at home this season, including TCU today," said Cory. "We are now in a position to make this a season that will go down as one of the best in UNLV history."

Next up, UNLV head to San Diego for three neutral-site conference matches beginning with Colorado State on Friday.

Women's Tennis Match Results#35 UNLV 4, #73 TCU 3April 10, 2010, at Las Vegas(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
Singles competition1. #63 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. #37 Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) 7-6, 7-52. #111 Jana Albers (UNLV) def. Kayla Duncan (TCU) 6-2, 6-23. Katarina Tuohimaa (TCU) def. Nives Pavlovic (UNLV) 6-3, 7-54. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Idunn Hertzberg (TCU) 6-2, 6-25. Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Maria Babanova (TCU) 6-1, 6-36. Gaby Mastromarino (TCU) def. Rumyana Terzieva (UNLV) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles competition1. Nedeltcheva/Albers (UNLV) def. #40 Duncan/Tuohimaa (TCU) 8-52. Maskaljun/Alisa Razina (UNLV) def. Munch-Soegaard/Babanova (TCU) 8-43. Hertzberg/Mastromarino (TCU) def. Pavlovic/Hidvegi (UNLV) 8-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1*,3); Singles (4,5,6,2*,3,1)*Clinching match