SALT LAKE CITY (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV's contingent was perfect in doubles play to highlight Wednesday's first day of competition at the 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Mountain Region Women's Championships being hosted by the University of Utah.
 
Members from 19 western teams are facing off each day in singles and doubles at the Eccles Tennis Center.
 
While fourth-seeded Salsa Aher and Zita Kovacs enjoyed a first round bye, two UNLV pairs advanced with easy wins. Aura Fang and Nikol Mircheva downed Noesjka Brink and Lucia Malinak of Wyoming, 8-1, while Cindy Hu and Coco Zhao doubled up Amahee Charrier and Lea Cakarevic of UNR, 8-4.
 
In the main draw of singles, a trio of Rebels moved on. Aher, seeded 14th, downed Hana Cho of Idaho State, 6-2, 6-3; Zhao got by Daryna Shoshyana of NAU, 7-6, 6-2; while Kovacs, seeded 15th, swept Sarah Weekly of Idaho State, 6-4, 7-6.
 
Three Rebels playing in second flight of singles fell in the first round.
 
More than 8,000 student-athletes from NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, Junior and Community Colleges compete across 85 ITA Regional Championships around the country. In Division I, regional doubles champions and regional singles champions and finalists qualify for the season-ending ITA National Fall Championships.
 
The finals are set for Sunday.
 
TEAMS SENDING COMPETITORS
Air Force (AFA)
Boise State (BSU)
Brigham Young (BYU)
Colorado (CU)
Colorado State (CSU)
Denver (DU)
Idaho (ID)
Idaho State (ISU)
Montana (MT)
Montana State (MSU)
Nevada, Reno (UNR)
New Mexico (UNM)
Northern Arizona (NAU)
UNLV (UNLV)
Utah (UU)
Utah State (USU)
Utah Tech (UTT)
Weber State (WSU)
Wyoming (WYO)
 
UNLV RESULTS
FLIGHT ONE SINGLES ROUND OF 64
(14) Salsa Aher (UNLV) def. Hana Cho (ISU) 6-2, 6-3
Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Daryna Shoshyana (NAU) 7-6, 6-2
Amahee Charrier (UNR) def. Cindy Hu (UNLV) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2
(15) Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Sarah Weekly (ISU) 6-4, 7-6
 
FLIGHT TWO SINGLES ROUND OF 64
Lola O'Lideadha (ISU) def. Aura Fang (UNLV) 6-3, 6-2
Martinez de Velasco (DU) def. Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) 6-2, 2-6, 6-0
Maria Goheen (MT) def. Smilia Matovik (UNLV) 6-3, 6-4
 
DOUBLES ROUND OF 64
(4) Salsa Aher/Zita Kovacs (UNLV) BYE
Aura Fang/Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) def. Noesjka Brink/Lucia Malinak (WYO) 8-1
Cindy Hu/Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Amahee Charrier/Lea Cakarevic (UNR) 8-4