LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's tennis team sprinted to a 4-0 lead and then held on for a 4-3 win over Weber State on Friday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels improved to 3-0 while the Wildcats fell to 0-3.
 
UNLV earned a 1-0 lead by taking both completed doubles matches. Illia Maksymchuk and Kemal Karakas downed Connor Kruger and Ken Minh, 6-1, at No. 1 while Joel Gibson and Vitaliy Horovoy clinched things with a 6-4 victory over Liam Day and Jordan Coutinho on court three.
 
Moving to singles play, Horovoy downed Theo Mottier, 6-3, 6-2, at the fifth spot and Karakas downed William Zulch, 6-2, 7-6, at No. 4. The home team assured itself victory when Maksymchuk fought off Tristan Sarap, 7-6, 6-3, at the top of the lineup.
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Kemal Karakas teamed up for a quick win in doubles and then was first off the court in singles play with a straight-set victory to set the tone.
 
QUOTABLE: "Today was very much like our match with Weber State last season (a 4-3 WSU victory). Very close. We went up 4-0 but it was really a tossup. We played well in doubles and then it was hard for us to play from ahead. We'll have another test tomorrow and we are eager to play again."
-UNLV Head Coach Andy Jackson
 
UP NEXT: UNLV will close out its season-opening four-match homestand by facing New Mexico State on Saturday starting with doubles play at 10 a.m. All matches at Fertitta Tennis Complex are free of charge.
 
Men's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, WEBER STATE 3
Jan. 24, 2025, at Las Vegas
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)

Singles competition
1. Illia Maksymchuk (UNLV) def. Tristan Sarap (WSU-M) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
2. Connor Kruger (WSU-M) def. Dusan Rsovac (UNLV) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
3. Jordan Coutinho (WSU-M) def. Thomas Navarro (UNLV) 6-4, 1-6, 3-2, retired
4. Kemal Karakas (UNLV) def. William Zulch (WSU-M) 6-2, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLV) def. Theo Mottier (WSU-M) 6-3, 6-2
6. Franco Quijano (WSU-M) def. Joel Gibson (UNLV) 3-6, 7-5, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Illia Maksymchuk/Kemal Karakas (UNLV) def. Connor Kruger/Ken Minh (WSU-M) 6-1
2. Thomas Navarro/Dusan Rsovac (UNLV) vs. Tristan Sarap/William Zulch (WSU-M) 3-5, unfinished
3. Joel Gibson/Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLV) def. Liam Day/Jordan Coutinho (WSU-M) 6-4

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (5,4,1,2,6,3)