LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV men's tennis team did not lose a set en route to a 7-0 win over Idaho State on a gorgeous Friday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
The Rebels remained perfect at home this season to improve to 5-2 while the Bengals fell to 3-3.
UNLV quickly won two doubles matches to earn a 1-0 lead.
Ilia Snitari and
Arda Karakas won 6-1 over Lewie Bouman and Sam Wensley at No. 1 while
Taiyo Hirano and
Michael Kouame finished off Tyler Dalos and Quentin Lamothe, 6-3, on court three to clinch it.
In singles, All-American Snitari, ranked 44th, was challenged by Valentino De Pellegrin but ground out a 7-5, 6-4 victory at the top of the lineup to improve to 18-1 as a sophomore. Rookie
Marko Maksimovic downed Sam Wensley, 6-1, 6-4, at No. 2;
Illia Maksymchuk flew past Luka Vujacic, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 3; Kouame fought off Hayden Ciguenza, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 4; Karakas swept Bouman, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 5; and
Vitaliy Horovoy defeated Dalos, 6-3, 6-2, down on court six.
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Arda Karakas, who suffered a season-ending injury in 2025 after starting out his freshman year at 6-1, returned to the singles lineup for the first time and won in straight sets. He also continued his excellent doubles play when teamed with
Ilia Snitari at the top of the lineup, improving to 5-0.
UP NEXT: UNLV will head to Los Angeles to take on No. 15 UCLA on Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
Men's Tennis Match Results
UNLV 7, IDAHO STATE 0
Feb. 13, 2026, at Las Vegas, NV
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
Singles competition
1. #44
Ilia Snitari (UNLVMT) def. V. De Pellegrin (ISU) 7-5, 6-4
2.
Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) def. Sam Wensley (ISU) 6-1, 6-4
3.
Illia Maksymchuk (UNLVMT) def. Luka Vujacic (ISU) 6-1, 6-1
4.
Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) def. Hayden Ciguenza (ISU) 6-3, 7-5
5.
Arda Karakas (UNLVMT) def. Lewie Bouman (ISU) 6-2, 7-5
6.
Vitaliy Horovoy (UNLVMT) def. Tyler Dalos (ISU) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1.
Ilia Snitari/
Arda Karakas (UNLVMT) def. Lewie Bouman/Sam Wensley (ISU) 6-1
2.
Illia Maksymchuk/
Marko Maksimovic (UNLVMT) vs. Jack Calleri/Hayden Ciguenza (ISU) 5-2, DNF
3.
Taiyo Hirano/
Michael Kouame (UNLVMT) def. Tyler Dalos/Quentin Lamothe (ISU) 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (3,2,6,4,5,1)
