April 28, 2011

Box Score

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (UNLVRebels.com) - The 38th-ranked and top-seeded UNLV women's tennis team reached at least the semifinals of the Mountain West Conference Championship for the 10th consecutive season after shutting out host and ninth seeded Colorado State 4-0 at the University Tennis Center Thursday afternoon.

The Lady Rebels won their ninth straight to improve to 20-4 overall, which marked the first time in program history that UNLV has reached the 20-win mark for three consecutive seasons. Head Coach Kevin Cory now claims four of the school's seven such campaigns all-time (2011, 2010, 2009 and 2002).

Speaking of records, Anna Maskaljun continued her magical senior season by winning her 20th consecutive singles match, which bested Katarina Malec's string of 19 in 2000. Maskaljun, out of Tallinn, Estonia, improved to 27-4 overall and an eye-popping 23-1 in dual matches. She has not dropped as much as a set since Feb. 20.

UNLV began the day by winning the first two completed doubles matches for a 1-0 lead. Nives Pavlovic and Aleksandra Josifoska downed Tori Arneson and Caitlin Fluegge, 8-1, at the top position and then Lucia Batta and Maskalkun combined for an 8-3 victory over Lauren Mulhern and Kaley Schultz at No. 2. The duo improved to 21-3 overall, including 18-2 at the second position. UNLV was leading on the third court when it was halted.

Moving to singles, Pavlovic wasted little time in defeating Mulhern 6-1, 6-1 at No. 3; Maskaljun posted her record-breaking win over Veronika Wojakowska, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 5 and MWC Freshman of the Year Batta finished off Fluegge 6-0, 6-4 at the top position to end the scoring. Hidvegi won her match over Kaley Schultz on court four but it did not count in the team score. UNLV was also leading handily on courts two and six when those matches were halted.

UNLV will play fourth-seeded TCU in Friday's semifinals (starting at 8:30 a.m. PT) after the Horned Frogs got by fifth-seeded BYU 4-1 today. The Lady Rebels fought off TCU 4-3 during the regular season in a neutral-site match played indoors at Albuquerque, N.M., on April 9. You can get live scoring updates at www.themwc.com.

Women's Tennis Match ResultsMountain West Conference Championships - Quarterfinals(1) #38 UNLV 4, (9) COLORADO STATE 0April 28, 2011, at Fort Collins, CO(University Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Lucia Batta (UNLV) def. Caitlin Fluegge (CSU) 6-0, 6-4
2. Aleksandra Josifoska (UNLV) led Tori Arneson (CSU) 6-2, 4-3 DNF
3. Nives Pavlovic (UNLV) def. Lauren Mulhern (CSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Kaley Schultz (CSU) 6-3, 6-1*
5. Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Veronika Wojakowska (CSU) 6-1, 6-2
6. Jana Albers (UNLV) led Meliisa Holzinger (CSU) 6-2, 4-1 DNF
*Did not count in team score
Doubles competition
1. Pavlovic/Josifoska (UNLV) def. Arneson/Fluegge (CSU) 8-1
2. Batta/Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Mulhern/Schultz (CSU) 8-3
3. Albers/Hidvegi (UNLV) led Wooldridge/Wojakowska (CSU) 5-4 DNF