LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV women's tennis team stunned previously undefeated San Jose State, 4-2, to stay alive in the race for the Mountain West title on a sun-drenched Friday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels improved to 11-6 overall and 7-2 in the Mountain West while the Spartans fell to 14-1 and suffered their first loss in eight league matches this spring. Both teams are scheduled to face San Diego State this weekend in Las Vegas to help decide the championship along with 7-2 Fresno State.
 
UNLV opened the meeting by taking the doubles point with wins on courts one and three. Izumi Asano and En-Pei Huang won their match at the top of the lineup, 6-4, to improve to 14-1 on the season.
 
In singles play, the Rebels took the first set on five of six courts and quickly got a pair of straight-set wins to make it 3-0. Huang won 6-3, 6-2 over Rozalina Youseva at the second position and rookie Zita Kovacs continued to impress with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Irena Muradyan at No. 3 that made the freshman 12-1 on the season, including 6-0 in league play.
 
After SJSU picked up two points to draw within one, it was another freshman, Aura Fang, who clinched it for the home team with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Jovana Babic on court six.
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Fang teamed with Kovacs for a 6-3 doubles win on court three and then clinched the team victory in singles.
 
NEXT FOR THE REBELS: Sunday is Senior Day as the Rebels host San Diego State in the regular-season finale. First serve at Fertitta Tennis Complex is set for 10 am PT.
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, SAN JOSE STATE 2
April 23, 2021, at Las Vegas
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)

 Singles competition
1. PEDRERO GALINDO,Alba (SJSU) def. Izumi Asano (UNLV) 6-2, 6-3
2. En-Pei Huang (UNLV) def. YOUSEVA, Rozalina (SJSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. MURADYAN, Irena (SJSU) 6-3, 6-3
4. Connie Li (UNLV) vs. MARCO MAS, Lara (SJSU) 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
5. VILLAN PEREIRA, Raq (SJSU) def. Sam Smith (UNLV) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
6. Aura Fang (UNLV) def. BABIC, Jovana (SJSU) 6-4, 6-4

 Doubles competition
1. Izumi Asano/En-Pei Huang (UNLV) def. PEDRERO GALINDO,Alba/MARCO MAS, Lara (SJSU) 6-4
2. Sam Smith/Connie Li (UNLV) vs. MURADYAN, Irena/CULIBRK, Tamara (SJSU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Aura Fang/Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. VILLAN PEREIRA, Raq/YOUSEVA, Rozalina (SJSU) 6-3

Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,2,1,5,6)