April 26, 2014
Box Score
FRESNO, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) - The eighth-seeded UNLV women's tennis team built a big lead but could not finish off top-seeded and 71st-ranked host Fresno State in Saturday's quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament Championship at the Sierra Sport & Racquet Club.
The Rebels (11-11) failed to make at least the semifinals of this event for the first time since 2001 by allowing the Bulldogs (14-8) to rally just in time to escape 4-3.
With all eight remaining teams playing at the same time this morning because of rain on Friday, the matches started with singles and used three-player shifts. UNLV took a 2-1 lead after the first shift as its two star seniors came through yet again. Lucia Batta, ranked 75th in the nation, downed Sophie Watts 7-6, 6-1 at the top position while Aleksandra Josifoska fought off Rana Sherif Ahmed 7-5, 6-3 on court two.
The Bulldogs, who are 6-0 against Mountain West opponents this spring, picked up the point at No. 3. With the next shift now on the courts, Santa Shumilina made it 3-1 with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Sofya Malysheva at No. 4. Fresno State, however, won a pair of three-set matches on the last two courts and then easily took the clinching doubles point to end UNLV's season.
MOUNTAIN WEST WOMEN'S TENNIS TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP - QUARTERFINAL#71 FRESNO STATE 4, UNLV 3April 26, 2014, at Fresno, CA(Sierra Sport & Racquet Club)
Singles competition 1. #75 Lucia Batta (UNLV) def. Sophie Watts (FS) 7-6 (3), 6-12. Aleksandra Josifoska (UNLV) def. Rana Sherif Ahmed 7-5, 6-33. Aishwarya Agrawal (FS) def. Iren Kotseva (UNLV) 6-1, 6-24. Santa Shumilina (UNLV) def. Sofya Malysheva (FS) 7-5, 6-25. Anneka Watts (FS) def. Paola Artiga (UNLV) 6-4, 5-7, 6-46. Anne Susdorf (FS) def. Anett Ferenczi-Bako (UNLV) 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
Doubles competition1. Anneka Watts/Sophie Watts (FS) def. Lucia Batta/Santa Shumilina (UNLV) 8-32. Sofya Malysheva/Aishwarya Agrawal (FS) def. Paola Artiga/Alexis Garrett (UNLV) 8-33. Rana Sherif Ahmed/Tanya Murtagh (FS) vs. Josifoska/Iren Kotseva (UNLV) 3-6 DNFOrder of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,1,2,4,5,6)
