LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV women's tennis team celebrated its annual Senior Day by downing Utah State 4-1 and keeping its hopes alive for a share of the regular-season Mountain West championship Sunday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
 
The Rebels finished with an 13-2 home mark and improved to 16-5 overall and 7-2 in the Mountain West while the Aggies fell to 5-14 and 0-9 in league play.
 
The Rebels took a 1-0 lead after a spirited doubles session. The Aggies won at the top of the lineup but Coco Zhao and Cindy Hu downed Kylee Sperry and Niyati Kukreti, 6-3, at No. 2 to improve to 23-4 on the season; and Kaho Oyama and Sofiia Sokolvak doubled up Maria Garcia and Natalie Paterova, 6-4, to clinch the point.
 
In singles, Zhao, who was honored before the match in ceremonies along with fellow seniors Hu and Hanna Vinahradava, eased by Ana Sabikova, 6-0, 6-4. Oyama won by the very same score over Sperry down at No. 5 and then Veronika Kliuch rallied for the clinching win on court two, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0, over Kukreti.
 
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Coco Zhao teamed with fellow-senior Cindy Hu for a win that made Zhao a stunning 30-3 in her doubles career vs. MW opponents. She then rolled past her singles opponent to improve to a team-leading 22-4.
 
UP NEXT: UNLV will close out by traveling to San Diego State on Thursday at 1 p.m. If the Rebels can upset the No. 48 Aztecs, they will finish in a multiple-school tie for the MW regular-season championship.
 
Women's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, UTAH STATE 1
April 13, 2025, at Las Vegas
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)

Singles competition
1. Indya Nespor (USU) def. Cindy Hu (UNLV) 6-4, 6-4
2. Veronika Kliuch (UNLV) def. Niyati Kukreti (USU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
3. Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Ana Sabikova (USU) 6-0, 6-4
4. Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) vs. Natalie Paterova (USU) 6-4, 4-6, 1-0, unfinished
5. Kaho Oyama (UNLV) def. Kylee Sperry (USU) 6-0, 6-4
6. Hanna Vinahradava (UNLV) vs. Maria Ramos Garcia (USU) 4-6, 6-6, unfinished

 Doubles competition
1. Indya Nespor/Cielo Tapia-Cruz (USU) def. Nikol Mircheva/Hanna Vinahradava (UNLV) 6-1
2. Cindy Hu/Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Kylee Sperry/Niyati Kukreti (USU) 6-3
3. Kaho Oyama/Sofiia Sokolvak (UNLV) def. Maria Ramos Garcia/Natalie Paterova (USU) 6-4

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