LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's tennis team dropped a heartbreaker, 4-3, to Santa Clara on Saturday afternoon at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels fell to 5-3 while the Broncos improved to 6-3.
 
UNLV, which was missing freshman standout Arda Karakas (6-1) because of injury, took a 1-0 lead by winning both completed doubles matches. Illia Maksymchuka and Roberto Hernandez won 6-2 at the top position while Vitaliy Horovoy and Joel Gibson downed their opponents 6-3 on court three.
 
In singles, the hosts earned easy wins at the top two courts to reach three points. Maksymchuk downed Alexander Ericksson, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 1 to reach the 20-win mark this season, while Rsovac defeated Lukas Maskow, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 2.
 
Santa Clara, however, stormed to straight-set wins on the other four courts to seal the road win.
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Illia Maksymchuk teamed up for a win atop the doubles lineup and then breezed by his opponent at No. 1 singles.
 
QUOTABLE: "This was a close match that we were disappointed to lose. However, I want to send out a big Rebel Thank You to the No Quit Academy for supporting UNLV and their alumnus on our team, Roberto Hernandez, who had a great performance at No. 1 doubles today."
-UNLV Head Coach Andy Jackson
 
UP NEXT: UNLV will head to Phoenix for a pair of matches next weekend, starting with a neutral-site meeting with Pacific on Saturday.
 
Men's Tennis Match Results
SANTA CLARA 4, UNLV 3
Feb. 15, 2025, at Las Vegas
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)

Singles competition
1. Illia Maksymchuk (UNLV) def. Alexander W Eriksson (SCUMTEN) 6-1, 6-3
2. Dusan Rsovac (UNLV) def. Lukas Maskow (SCUMTEN) 6-1, 6-3
3. Luca Lemaitre (SCUMTEN) def. Thomas Navarro (UNLV) 6-0, 6-1
4. Luca Bluett (SCUMTEN) def. Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLV) 6-3, 6-4
5. Tiago Boschmans (SCUMTEN) def. Joel Gibson (UNLV) 6-4, 6-4
6. Valentin Faure (SCUMTEN) def. Roberto Hernandez (UNLV) 6-4, 6-2

 Doubles competition
1. Roberto Hernandez/Illia Maksymchuk (UNLV) def. Luca Bluett/John Kim (SCUMTEN) 6-2
2. Dusan Rsovac/Thomas Navarro (UNLV) vs. Alexander W Eriksson/Luca Lemaitre (SCUMTEN) 4-3, unfinished
3. Vitaliy Horovoy/Joel Gibson (UNLV) def. Tiago Boschmans/Valentin Faure (SCUMTEN) 6-3