LAS VEGAS — The UTSA women’s tennis team saw its season-opening win streak snapped at six with a 4-0 setback at the hands of UNLV on Saturday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
Fresh off a 4-0 shutout of Kansas City on Friday that continued the best start to a dual-match campaign under sixth-year head coach Ki Kroll, the Roadrunners fell to 6-1 on the year with the loss to the Rebels, who improved to 5-2.
The doubles point came down to the final court after the two teams split decisions at the top two spots in the lineup. UNLV’s tandem of Cindy Hu and Coco Zhao downed UTSA’s Ekua Youri and Fatima Gutierrez, 6-2, at No. 2. However, Aleksandra Zlatarova and Cassie McLay moved to 5-0 on the season with a 6-3 triumph over Zita Kovacs and Hanna Vinahradava at No. 1. The Rebels pulled out the doubles point with a narrow 7-6 (7-1) win on court three by Salsa Aher and Aura Fang over Vittoria Baccino and Magda Tuells.
In singles competition, Nikol Mircheva gave the home side a 2-0 advantage with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Tuells at No. 6. Hu then pushed the Rebels to within one point of clinching the match with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Baccino at the third spot. Aher sealed the win for UNLV, 6-4, 6-1, over Gutierrez at No. 2 to hand the Roadrunners their first loss of the year.
The Roadrunners will return to action next Friday, Feb. 23, with a 1 p.m. road match against Houston.
UNLV 4, UTSA 0
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024
Fertitta Tennis Complex
Las Vegas, Nevada
Doubles Results (UNLV 1, UTSA 0)
1. Aleksandra Zlatarova/Cassie McLay (UTSA) def. Zita Kovacs/Hanna Vinahradava (UNLV): 6-3
2. Cindy Hu/Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Ekua Youri/Fatima Gutierrez (UTSA): 6-2
3. Salsa Aher/Aura Fang (UNLV) def. Vittoria Baccino/Magda Tuells (UTSA): 7-6 (7-1)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3
Singles Results (UNLV 3, UTSA 0)
1. Zita Kovacs (UNLV) vs. Aleksandra Zlatarova (UTSA): 6-3, 5-5, unfinished
2. Salsa Aher (UNLV) def. Fatima Gutierrez (UTSA): 6-4, 6-1
3. Cindy Hu (UNLV) def. Vittoria Baccino (UTSA): 6-3, 6-1
4. Hanna Vinahradava (UNLV) vs. Cassie McLay (UTSA): 2-6, 5-5, unfinished
5. Coco Zhao (UNLV) vs. Ekua Youri (UTSA): 6-2, 3-6, 1-0, unfinished
6. Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) def. Magda Tuells (UTSA): 6-1, 6-1
Order of Finish: 6, 3, 2
Records: UNLV 5-2, UTSA 6-1
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