LOS ANGELES (UNLVRebels.com) – Having won its last eight matches, the UNLV women's tennis team is on a serious roll. However, that streak will be seriously tested when head coach Kevin Cory's squad faces 26th-ranked Texas Tech in the First Round of the NCAA Championship Saturday morning.
 
The 2019 Regular-Season and Mountain West Tournament Champion Rebels (17-6 overall), who won an automatic bid to the tourney, will tangle with the Red Raiders (17-8) in the 9 a.m. match at USC's Marks Tennis Stadium. Fans can watch the action live via usctrojans.com. The host Trojans will play Illinois State later in the day and the two winning teams will play Sunday afternoon for the right to move on to an NCAA Super Regional.
 
"We feel like we're in a good position – playing well and in the postseason – right where we want to be right now," Cory said. "I think the last three weeks or so we have played our best tennis of the season."
 
UNLV and Texas Tech last met in 2012 when the Red Raiders earned a 5-2 decision in Las Vegas. However, the Rebels lead the all-time series 6-2 over the Big 12 Conference power that made it all the way to the Elite Eight a year ago.
 
"Texas Tech made the national quarterfinals last year but they lost several players to graduation so they have a fairly new team," said Cory. "But they've been ranked in the Top 20 for much of the year for a reason. We know they are really good but think we're pretty good too -- so we are looking forward to what is a big challenge."
 
The marquee match of the day will no doubt come at the top of the lineup and feature senior leaders both headed to the NCAA Singles Championship event for a second straight season: UNLV's two-time MW Player of the Year Aiwen Zhu, ranked 105th, vs. TTU star Felicity Maltby, ranked 22nd.
 
"I think Aiwen is excited about playing a highly ranked player Saturday. She's doing a great job, as usual, and leading this team on and off the court with her work ethic."
 
This marks UNLV's first NCAA trip since 2016 and 13th overall. Cory's crew last advanced to the Second Round in 2013 with a 4-3 thriller over Tulsa in Nebraska. The Rebels' other NCAA wins came in 2010 over VCU in North Carolina and 1998 over Washington State in Las Vegas.
 
2019 NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS FIRST-SECOND ROUNDS (At Los Angeles, CA/Host: USC)
May 4:  First Round – 9 a.m.
UNLV (17-6) vs. #26 Texas Tech (17-8)
First Round – 12 p.m.   
Illinois State (20-6) vs. #13 USC (18-7)
May 5:  Second Round – 1 p.m.