Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 53 UNLV
No. 39 `Dogs drop No. 53 UNLV in MW opener
4/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufrenso.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - With a three-set win from sophomore Mayar Sherif Ahmed in the final match of the day, the No. 39 Fresno State women's tennis team gave No. 53 UNLV its first loss of 2016 with a 4-3 victory over the visitors on Friday at Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center in the Bulldogs' Mountain West opener.
"It's always difficult to beat a team that's never lost because they really believe in themselves," Fresno State head coach Ryan Stotland said. "UNLV is a very good team in our conference that really comes to compete every day because they know what's on the line. To take a victory from them is very nice for our team and to be 1-0 in our conference is where we wanted to be. Also to beat one of the higher ranked teams in the country will also really help us as we move forward with our season."
In a dual match that saw Fresno State (14-8, 1-0 MW) and UNLV (19-1, 3-1 MW) split singles play, doubles play proved to be the difference. The Rebels, which entered the day losing the doubles point only twice on year, and had not went a dual match without winning a doubles match, was blanked by the Bulldogs on Friday. Seniors Anneka Watts and Sophie Watts provided the 'Dogs with the early advantage as the twins defeated Anna Bogoslavets and Cristina Moroi 6-0 in the No. 2 position.
Just after court three was knotted up in a five-all match, No. 21 Mayar Sherif Ahmed and Rana Sherif Ahmed dispatched No. 66 Carol Yang and Aiwen Zhu, 6-2, on court one to help Fresno State claim the opening point of the match.
Anneka Watts gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead as she quickly defeated Mercedes Lopez 6-1, 6-2, at No. 6. The loss was Kotseva's second of season as she entered the match 11-1. Shortly after the conclusion of Watts' match, Rana Sherif Ahmed pulled Fresno State within one point of clinching the dual match as the senior defeated Paola Artiga in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2 on court four. Zhu then got the Rebels on the scoreboard with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Sophie Watts at No. 2.
After splitting the first two sets with identical 6-2 scores, Sofya Malysheva was unable to come up with a third-set victory, falling 7-5 to Iren Kotseva after dropping the final two points of the match. UNLV brought the dual match to three-all as Bogoslavets won her 19th straight match with a three-set victory over Galina Bykova, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.
With the result of the dual match resting on the third set of the No. 1 match, Mayar Sherif Ahmed ran out to a 5-0 lead on Yang before ending the Rebels' No. 1 player's 15-match winning streak with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory. The win was Ahmed's sixth over a ranked opponent this season.
Fresno State will be back on the courts on Sunday as the team hosts San Diego State on Senior Day. Matches are scheduled to start at 10 a.m., PT with senior ceremonies beginning prior to the first serve.
UNLV vs Fresno State
Apr 8, 2016 at Fresno, Calif.
(Spalding G. Wathen Tennis Center)
#39 Fresno State 4, #53 UNLV 3
Singles competition
1. #52 Mayar Sherif Ahmed (FS) def. #82 Carol Yang (UNLV) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2
2. Aiwen Zhu (UNLV) def. Sophie Watts (FS) 6-3, 6-4
3. Anna Bogoslavets (UNLV) def. Galina Bykova (FS) 4-6, 6-2, 6-2
4. Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) def. Paola Artiga (UNLV) 6-4, 6-2
5. Iren Kotseva (UNLV) def. Sofya Malysheva (FS) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5
6. Anneka Watts (FS) def. Mercedes Lopez (UNLV) 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #21 Mayar Sherif Ahmed/Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) def. #66 Carol Yang/Aiwen Zhu (UNLV) 6-2
2. Anneka Watts/Sophie Watts (FS) def. Anna Bogoslavets/Cristina Moroi (UNLV) 6-0
3. Sofya Malysheva/Olivia Noble (FS) vs. Iren Kotseva/Paola Artiga (UNLV) 6-5, unfinished
Match Notes:
UNLV 19-1, 3-1 MW; National ranking #53
Fresno State 14-8, 1-0 MW; National ranking #39
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (6,4,2,5,3,1)
Players Mentioned
