LOS ANGELES (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's tennis team fell one set short of knocking off Pac-12 power Cal on Monday afternoon and closed out the annual ITA Kickoff Weekend event with a heartbreaking 4-3 loss at Marks Stadium.
 
The Rebels fell to 0-2 on the young season while the Golden Bears improved to 2-1 and 7-1 in the all-time series between the schools.
 
Fighting through windy conditions, UNLV earned a 1-0 lead by taking a spirited doubles session to start things off. Alex Kobelt and Jordan Sauer upset 36th-ranked Paul Barretto and Can Kaya, 6-4, at the top spot after Clayton Alenik and Eric Samuelsson eased by Ben Draper and Thomas Wright 6-1 on court two.
 
The Rebels and Bears each won three first sets in singles play but Cal quickly built a 3-1 lead with a trio of straight-setters. UNLV, however, battled back as Anton Ornberg won on court five, 6-4, 6-4, and Alenik tied things with a thrilling win at number six.
 
All eyes then moved to court two where Samuelsson had a chance to take it in straight sets but eventually fell to Ben Draper in the overall clincher, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Local product Alenik won in both doubles and singles to lead the way. He teamed with Samuelsson for a 6-1 win at No. 2 doubles and then fought off Lucas Magnaudet on court six, 7-5, 7-5, to square the overall match at 3.
 
QUOTABLE: "This was a great college tennis match today. Cal Berkeley is a class program and we battled hard but fell just a little short. Our job now is to learn from this and keep improving."
-UNLV Head Coach Owen Hambrook
 
NEXT UP: The Rebels are scheduled to open their home schedule with three matches this weekend. UNLV will start with a doubleheader Friday vs. New Mexico State (10 am) and Weber State (3 pm). No fans are permitted to attend matches at the Fertitta Tennis Complex per Covid-19 protocols.  
 
UNLV Men's Tennis Results
2021 ITA KICKOFF WEEKEND – CONSOLATION ROUND
CAL 4, UNLV 3
Jan. 25, 2021, at Los Angeles
(Marks Stadium)

Singles competition
1. #42 Yuta Kikuchi (CAL) def. Alex Kobelt (UNLV) 6-1, 6-3
2. Ben Draper (CAL) def. Eric Samuelsson (UNLV) 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3
3. Jacob Brumm (CAL) def. Jordan Sauer (UNLV) 6-2, 6-2
4. Kent Hunter (CAL) def. Milos Dabic (UNLV) 6-1, 6-1
5. Anton Ornberg (UNLV) def. Can Kaya (CAL) 6-4, 6-4
6. Clayton Alenik (UNLV) def. Lucas Magnaudet (CAL) 7-5, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Alex Kobelt/Jordan Sauer (UNLV) def. #36 Can Kaya/Paul Barretto (CAL) 6-4
2. Clayton Alenik/Eric Samuelsson (UNLV) def. Ben Draper/Thomas Wright (CAL) 6-1
3. Yuta Kikuchi/Philip Hjorth (CAL) def. Jackson Atherton/Anton Ornberg (UNLV) 6-0
 ORDER OF FINISH: (Doubles) 2,3,1 (Singles) 4,3,1,5,6,2