March 31, 2002
SAN DIEGO - Playing without All-American candidate Oliver Maiberger finally caught up with the San Diego State men's tennis team on Sunday afternoon. After posting two conference victories in as many days without the team's top-ranked singles and doubles player, the 30th-ranked Aztecs fell at 58th-ranked UNLV, 6-1, Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas.
The Rebels swept all six singles matches, winning four of the matches in three sets and claimed all four set tiebreakers contested in the singles matches.
Maiberger was missing from the San Diego State lineup for the fifth straight match. The sophomore, nationally-ranked in both singles and doubles, did not make the trip to Las Vegas due to a viral infection. The Rebels improved to 9-8 overall, including 8-3 at home, and 2-1 in Mountain West Conference play while the Aztecs fell to 10-8 and 2-1.
The day started good enough for SDSU, with the Aztecs sweeping all three doubles matches for one team point.
In singles play, the teams split the first sets on the six courts. UNLV, however, tied things when Andreas Maurer won 6-1, 7-5 at number six over Khalid Naffa. Aviram Salomon then won the day's only other straight-set match, 6-2, 7-6 (4), on number three to make it 2-1 for the hosts. After losing the first set 6-0, Romain Tug rallied to win 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the second position over Valentino Pest. Thomas Michaud's victory over Travis Hasson, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, at No. 4 clinched the team victory before UNLV made it 5-1 with a win from Leslie Eisinga at No. 5.
In the day's final match, UNLV's lone senior, 68th-ranked Thomas Schneiter rallied to win a second-set tiebreaker 8-6 and then cruised over Felix Hardt 3-6, 7-6, 6-0.
No. 58 UNLV 6, No. 30 San Diego State 1
Doubles (SDSU wins point)
No. 1 - Felix Hardt/Valentino Pest (SDSU) def. Thomas Michaud/Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) - 8-3
No. 2 - Travis Hasson/Gabe Coren (SDSU) def. Thomas Schneiter/Andreas Maurer (UNLV) - 8-6
No. 3 - Ryan Redondo/Khalid Naffa (SDSU) def. Aviram Salomon/Romain Tug (UNLV) - 8-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
Singles
No. 1 - No. 68 Thomas Schneiter (UNLV) def. Felix Hardt (SDSU) - 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-0
No. 2 - Romain Tug (UNLV) def. Valentino Pest (SDSU) - 0-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 3 - Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. Ryan Redondo (SDSU) - 6-2, 7-6 (4)
No. 4 - Thomas Michaud (UNLV) def. Travis Hasson (SDSU) - 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-1
No. 5 - Leslie Eisinga (UNLV) def. Gabe Coren (SDSU) - 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3
No. 6 - Andreas Maurer (UNLV) def. Khalid Naffa (SDSU) - 6-1, 7-5
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 2, 4, 5, 1
Records: SDSU (10-8/2-1 MWC), UNLV (9-8/2-1 MWC).