MALIBU, Calif. (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV dropped its season-opening match Saturday in the first round of the 2020 ITA Kickoff Weekend event, falling 4-0 at sixth-ranked Pepperdine at Ralphs-Strauss Stadium.
 
The powerhouse Waves, who improved to 19-1 all-time vs. the Rebels, opened by winning doubles matches at the bottom two courts by an identical 6-2 score to earn a 1-0 lead.
 
In singles play, the hosts, who boast four ranked players in the lineup, quickly swept three matches to end it.
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will play in the consolation round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend Sunday at 10 a.m. The opponent will be Arizona, which fell to Arkansas in Saturday's afternoon match. The Rebels have won at least one match at the annual ITA Kickoff event for three consecutive years, including last year over Oregon in consolation action. UNLV upset Arkansas in 2017 in Malibu and Mississippi State in 2018 at Berkeley, California.
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
2020 ITA Kickoff Weekend
#6 PEPPERDINE 4, UNLV 0
Jan. 25, 2020 at Malibu, Calif.
(Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. #1 Lahey, Ashley (PEPPW) def. Izumi Asano (UNLV) 6-0, 6-4
2. #50 Failla, Jessica (PEPPW) def. En-Pei Huang (UNLV) 6-1, 6-2
3. #62 Iamachkine, Anastasia (PEPPW) vs. Connie Li (UNLV) 6-3, 5-1, unfinished
4. Olsen, Astrid (PEPPW) vs. Olivia Elliott (UNLV) 6-2, 3-2, unfinished
5. Zaar, Lisa (PEPPW) def. Sam Smith (UNLV) 6-2, 6-2
6. #90 Kuczer, Daria (PEPPW) vs. Samantha Li (UNLV) 6-1, 3-2, unfinished
 
Doubles competition
1. Lahey, Ashley/Failla, Jessica (PEPPW) vs. #28 Izumi Asano/En-Pei Huang (UNLV) 5-3, unfinished
2. Iamachkine,Anastasia/Olsen, Astrid (PEPPW) def. Connie Li/Samantha Li (UNLV) 6-2
3. Zaar, Lisa/Kuczer, Daria (PEPPW) def. Sam Smirth/Olivia Elliott (UNLV) 6-2
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,1,5)