LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV's contingent did not advance out of Monday's qualifying rounds during the first day of the 2018 ITA Mountain Region Men's Championships held at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels will now have four singles players and two doubles teams begin play in the main draw of the event Tuesday, which moves over to the Darling Tennis Center for the remainder of the week.
 
On Monday, UNLV freshman Tom Ciszewski saw his opponent, Lukas Ridemar of Idaho State, fight off five match points to win it, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6. Zach Garner, meanwhile, lost in straight sets to Utah State's­­­­­­­­ Mitchell Johnson, 6-4, 6-3. In doubles, Garner and Ciszewski fell in a tiebreaker to the Bengals' duo of Ridemar and Gergo Rendek, 8-7. The duo later won a consolation doubles match while Ciszewski won his consolation singles appearance.
 
More than 80 players from 17 western teams are competing here this week. Each day's action begins with doubles play at 9:00 a.m. PT. There will be consolation draws in singles and doubles to ensure each entrant at least two matches.
 
The finals are set for Friday on center court starting with doubles at 11 am. Admission to all matches is free of charge.
 
The ITA Regional Championships feature more than 8,000 student-athletes from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, Junior and Community Colleges compete across 85 ITA Regional Championships around the country. In Division I, regional doubles champions and regional singles champions and finalists qualify for the season-ending Oracle ITA National Fall Championships in Surprise, Arizona.
 
TEAMS SENDING COMPETITORS
Air Force (AFA)
Boise State (BSU)
Brigham Young (BYU)
Denver (DU)
Idaho (ID)
Idaho State (ISU)
Montana State (MSU)
Nevada, Reno (UNR)
New Mexico (UNM)
New Mexico State (NMSU)
Northern Arizona (NAU)
Northern Colorado (UNC)
Southern Utah (SUU)
UNLV (UNLV)
Utah (UU)
Utah State (USU)
Weber State (WSU)
 
UNLV RESULTS
 
SINGLES QUALIFYING
Mitchell Johnson (USU) def. Zach Garner (UNLV) 6-4, 6-3
Lukas Ridemar (ISU) def. Tom Ciszewski (UNLV) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (5)
 
DOUBLES QUALIFYING
Gergo Rendek/Ridemar (ISU) def. Garner/Ciszewski (UNLV) 8-7 (5)

SINGLES QUALIFYING CONSOLATION
Esteban Santibanez (ID) def. Zach Garner (UNLV) 6-2, 7-5
Tom Ciszewski (UNLV) def. Peter Shin (ISU) 6-0, 6-1
 
DOUBLES QUALIFYING CONSOLATION
Garner/Ciszewski (UNLV) def. Facundo Tumosa/Ron Idzon (NAU) 8-4
 
SCHEDULE OF PLAY
(9 am start each day until finals)
Tuesday, Oct. 16 – MAIN DRAW at Darling Tennis Center
First Round Doubles (32), First Round Singles (64), Second Round Singles (32), Consolation Singles
 
Wednesday, Oct. 17 - Round of 16 Doubles, Doubles Consolation, Round of 16 Singles, Singles Consolation, Quarterfinal Singles, Singles Consolation, Doubles Consolation
 
Thursday, Oct. 18 – Quarterfinal Doubles, Doubles Consolation, Semifinal Singles, Singles Consolation, Semifinal Doubles, Singles & Doubles Consolation Finals
 
Friday, Oct. 19 - Doubles Final (11 am on Center Court), Singles Final (1 pm on Center Court)