March 24, 2010
LAS VEGAS - The 72nd-ranked San Diego State women's tennis team dropped its Mountain West Conference opener on Wednesday afternoon, losing at No. 59 UNLV, 4-3, at Fertitta Tennis Complex. The loss evens the Aztecs' record at 7-7 and puts them at 0-1 in the MWC.
The Rebels took the early 1-0 lead after claiming doubles victories at the second and third positions. With the point already going to the home team, Sierra and Roxanne Ellison continued their recent strong play and defeated Kristina Nedeltcheva and Jana Albers, 8-6, at No. 1 for their second straight win.
In singles, UNLV increased its lead to 2-0 after Emma Cioffi was downed, 6-3, 6-1, by Rumyana Terzieva at No. 6, but 80th-ranked Alicia Aguilar answered with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. 103 Jana Albers at the second spot to get the Aztecs on the board.
The Rebels got to within one point of the team victory when Adrienn Hidvegi hung a 7-5, 6-2 loss on Roxanne Ellison at No. 4. Fortunately for San Diego State, Sierra Ellison was able to dispatch Anna Maskaljun, 6-2, 7-6, to deny UNLV the clinching point.
With UNLV up, 3-2, and two matches still in progress, the Rebels received the outcome it needed to secure the decision when Nives Pavlovic downed Julia Wais in three sets, 6-7, 6-2, 6-2, at third singles.
Finishing things up for the Aztecs was No. 71 Julia Trunk, who posted her second upset of the season with her 0-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over 31st-ranked Kristina Nedeltcheva at the top of the order. As a result of Aguilar and Trunk's victories, the two evened their record vs. nationally ranked players at 2-2 and the pair own all of SDSU's wins over ranked athletes.
San Diego State returns to action next week when it travels to The Beehive State for matches at Brigham Young (April 1) and Utah (April 3). Both contests are set for noon MT starts.
#59 UNLV 4, #72 San Diego State 3
Fertitta Tennis Complex (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Doubles
1. Sierra Ellison/Roxanne Ellison (SDSU) def. Kristina Nedeltcheva/Jana Albers (UNLV) 8-6
2. Alisa Razina/Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) def. Julia Trunk/Julia Wais (SDSU) 8-1
3. Nives Pavlovic/Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Olivia Colman/Alicia Aguilar (SDSU) 8-2
UNLV wins doubles point.
Singles
1. #71 Julia Trunk (SDSU) def. #31 Kristina Nedeltcheva (UNLV) 0-6, 7-5, 7-5
2. #80 Alicia Aguilar (SDSU) def. #103 Jana Albers (UNLV) 6-4, 6-2
3. Nives Pavlovic (UNLV) def. Julia Wais (SDSU) 6-7, 6-2, 6-2
4. Adrienn Hidvegi (UNLV) def. Roxanne Ellison (SDSU) 7-5, 6-2
5. Sierra Ellison (SDSU) def. Anna Maskaljun (UNLV) 6-2, 7-6
6. Rumyana Terzieva (UNLV) def. Emma Cioffi (SDSU) 6-3, 6-1
Order of finish
Doubles: 2,3*,1
Singles: 6,2,4,5,3*,1
*Clinching Match