Jan. 29, 2011

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UNLVRebels.com) - The 67th-ranked UNLV men's tennis team saw its three-match winning streak snapped on Saturday as No. 68 SMU prevailed 4-3 in a neutral-site meeting staged at Arkansas' Dills Indoor Tennis Stadium.

The Rebels fell to 3-2 on the season while the Mustangs improved to 2-0.

The doubles point proved to be the difference as the teams split the six singles matches.

UNLV's Mehdi Bouras and Bernard Schoeman were the only Rebel duo to win, downing Artem Baradach and Adham El-Effendi 8-5 at the top of the lineup. SMU took close matches on the next two courts to earn a 1-0 lead.

In singles, the Rebels got straight-set wins from Johannes Markel at No. 2, 6-3, 6-0 over David Costa; Rene Ruegamer at No. 4, 6-3, 6-3 over Gaston Cuadranti; and Alex Bull on court six, 6-3, 6-4 over Joseph Hattrup. The Mustangs clinched the victory when El-Effendi closed out Tamas Batyi 6-3, 6-7, 7-3 at No. 3.

"The guys played hard but SMU was just a little bit better than us today," said UNLV head coach Owen Hambrook. "We look forward to getting a chance to bounce back next weekend at home."

UNLV is next in action on Friday when it hosts New Mexico State beginning with doubles at 10 a.m. Admission to all matches is free of charge.

UNLV Men's Tennis Match Results#68 SMU 4, #67 UNLV 3Jan. 29, 2011 at Fayetteville, AK(Dills Indoor Tennis Stadium)
Singles competition (SMU wins three team points) 1. #29 Artem Baradach (SMU) def. Mehdi Bouras (UNLV) 6-4, 6-42. Johannes Markel (UNLV) def. David Costa (SMU) 6-3, 6-03. Adham El-Effendi (SMU) def. Tamas Batyi (UNLV) 6-3, 6-7, 6-34. Rene Ruegamer (UNLV) def. Gaston Cuadranti (SMU) 6-3, 6-35. Mischa Nowicki (SMU) def. Bernard Schoeman (UNLV) 6-3, 6-16. Alex Bull (UNLV) def. Joseph Hattrup (SMU) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition (SMU wins one team point)1. Bouras/Schoeman (UNLV) def. Baradach/El-Effendi (SMU) 8-52. Hattrup/Tobias Flood (SMU) def. Markel/Batyi (UNLV) 8-53. Costa/Nowicki (SMU) def. Ruegamer/Bull (UNLV) 8-6