LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV women's tennis team lost its home opener, 5-2, to SEC member Arkansas on Friday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels fell to 0-5 on the season while the Razorbacks improved to 4-2.
 
The teams opened the morning by trading doubles victories but then the visitors earned the point with a 7-6 tiebreaker win on court three. Arkansas then took four of six matches in singles play.
 
The singles highlight for UNLV came at the bottom of the lineup where Samantha Li rallied to win the second set and then took an extended super-tiebreaker to down Laura Rijkers, 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9).
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Izumi Asano won her singles match at No. 1 when opponent Martina Zerulo retired early in the first set. Earlier, Asano and doubles partner En-Pei Huang, who are ranked No. 13 in the nation, made quick work of 22nd-ranked Tatum Rice and Lauren Alter, 6-1, at the top spot to improve to 11-3 on the season.
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS: UNLV will look to get in the win column for the first time this season when its hosts Virginia Tech on Sunday starting at 10 a.m. and then Southern Utah later in the day, weather permitting, starting at 2 p.m. Admission to all UNLV home matches is free of charge.
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
ARKANSAS 5, UNLV 2
Feb. 7, 2020, at Las Vegas, Nev.
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
 
Singles competition
1. Izumi Asano (UNLV) def. Martina Zerulo (ARK) 2-1, retired
2. Tatum Rice (ARK) def. En-Pei Huang (UNLV) 7-6, 6-2
3. #114 Jackie Carr (ARK) def. Connie Li (UNLV) 6-1, 6-1
4. Lauren Alter (ARK) def. Sam Smith (UNLV) 6-3, 6-3
5. Kelly Keller (ARK) def. Olivia Elliott (UNLV) 6-3, 6-3
6. Samantha Li (UNLV) def. Laura Rijkers (ARK) 6-7, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9)
 
 Doubles competition
1. #13 Izumi Asano/En-Pei Huang (UNLV) def. #22 Tatum Rice/Lauren Alter (ARK) 6-1
2. Martina Zerulo/Jackie Carr (ARK) def. Connie Li/Sam Smith (UNLV) 6-2
3. Laura Rijkers/Thea Rice (ARK) def. Samantha Li/Olivia Elliott (UNLV) 7-6 (7-1)
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,3,4,5,2,6)