March 14, 2003

The USF men's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the UNLV Rebel Claasic by defeating Southern Mississippi 4-2 at the Fertitta Tennis Complex Friday in Las Vegas.

In the morning round, 60th-ranked Ball State downed Weber State and No. 65 Central Florida eased by Sacramento State. The Cardinals and Golden Knights will meet in one semifinal, which is scheduled for 1 p.m., while UNLV, who topped Montana State - Billings will face San Francisco.

The Dons (11-4) won the doubles point on wins by the teams of Joachim Lien and Mason Fuller and Pablo Pires De Almeida and Jorgen Arnesen and then took three of the five completed singles matches to clinch the victory.

Joachim Lien defeated Uwe Gneiting 6-3, 6-1 at number one singles and Pablo Pires de Almeida defeated J.J. Martin 6-0, 6-2 at number three. USF clinched the match when Axel Elvik won 6-2, 5-0 at number six.

USF will face host host UNLV at 1:00 p.m. Saturday.

MEN'S TENNIS RESULTS UNLV REBEL CLASSIC -- ROUND ONE At Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas

SAN FRANCISCO 4, SOUTHERN MISS 2

SINGLES -- (USF EARNS THREE TEAM POINTS)

1. Joachim Lien (USF) def. Uwe Gneiting (USM) 6-3, 6-1

2. David Canudas (USM) def. Jorgen Arnesen (USF) 6-4, 6-2

3. Pablo Pires de Almeida (USF) def. J.J. Martin (USM) 6-0, 6-2

5. Romain van Rillas (USF) vs. Reid Bourgeois (USM) Did Not Finish

6. Axel Elvik (USF) def. David Torel (USM) 6-2, 6-0

DOUBLES -- (USF EARNS ONE TEAM POINT)

1. Lien/Fuller (USF) def. Marc-Olivier Lux/Cataret (USM) 8-3

2. Elvik/Jon Lippert (USF) vs. Canudas/Gneiting (USM) Did Not Finish

3. Pires de Almeida/Arnesen (USF) def. Martin/Bourgeois (USM) 8-3

FRIDAY Ball State defeated Weber State (no scores reported) Central Florida 6, Sacramento State 1

San Francisco 4, Southern Miss 2 UNLV 6, Montana State-Billings 1

SATURDAY LOSERS' BRACKET Sac State vs. Weber State 10 a.m. Southern Miss vs. MSU-Billings 10 a.m.

WINNERS' BRACKET Ball State vs. Central Florida 1 p.m. UNLV vs. San Francisco 1 p.m.

SUNDAY Championship 12 p.m. 3rd Place 12 p.m.

5th Place 9 a.m. 7th Place 9 a.m.

UNLV 6, MONTANA STATE-BILLINGS 1

SINGLES -- (UNLV EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS) 1. Henner Nehles (UNLV) def. Jose Garcia (MSUB) 6-0, 6-0 2. Romain Massaro (UNLV) def. Sergio Diaz (MSUB) 6-2, 6-1 3. Aviram Salomon (UNLV) def. Kellen Malone (MSUB) 6-0, 6-1 4. Milos Blagojevic (UNLV) def. Rafael Gale (MSUB) 6-2, 6-4 5. Ryan Smith (MSUB) def. Ryan Barber (UNLV) 6-1, 6-2 6. Joel Kielbowicz (UNLV) def. Andres Calabro (MSUB) 6-4, 6-2 DOUBLES -- (UNLV EARNS ONE TEAM POINT) 1. Nehles/Massaro (UNLV) def. Calabra/Smith (MSUB) 8-0 2. Salomon/Kielbowicz (UNLV) def. Gale/Diaz (MSUB) 8-1 3. Barber/Blagojevic (UNLV) def. Garcia/Malone (MSUB) 8-2

***MATCH SCORES FOR BALL STATE'S VICTORY OVER WEBER STATE WERE UNAVAILABLE***

CENTRAL FLORIDA 6, SACRAMENTO STATE 1

SINGLES -- (UCF EARNS FIVE TEAM POINTS) 1. Catalin Bradu (UCF) def. Nick Sheehan (CSUS) 6-2, 6-1 2. Gabriel Strengberg (UCF) def. Matt Jones (CSUS) 6-2, 6-1 3. Antonio Sierra (UCF) def. Anders Albertsen (CSUS) 6-0, 6-4 4. Augusto Sanabria (UCF) def. Jakub Silva (CSUS) 6-1, 6-0 5. Ener Gursoy (UCF) def. Lewis Van Splunteren (CSUS) 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) 6. Peter Farkas (CSUS) def. Rhett Rosen (UCF) 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6) DOUBLES -- (UCF EARNS ONE TEAM POINT) 1. Bradu/Sierra (UCF) def. Jones/Farkas (CSUS) 8-5 2. Sheehan/Albertsen (CSUS) def. Sanabria/Gursoy (UCF) 8-5 3. Strengberg/Rosen (UCF) def. Silva/Van Splunteren (CSUS) 8-5