Monday, January 26, 1998
Disciplined Bruins leave Rebels without a cause
MTENNIS UCLA issues 7-0 thrashing as UNLV attempts to rebuild
team
By Stephanie Chan
Daily Bruin Contributor
The No. 2 nationally ranked UCLA tennis team is all that it is
cracked up to be. Just check out the racquet of a UNLV tennis
player where dents tell their story of frustration after playing
the Bruins Saturday. The plot of the story: the Bruin’s 7-0 sweep
of the Rebels.
This was a UNLV team that has produced two of the best players
in college tennis of the past few years, 1997 national champion
Luke Smith and Roger Patterson. Saturday’s match confirmed that
great loss with UCLA overpowering UNLV’s recruiting class.
"They probably haven’t picked up the best recruits … to fill
in those shoes," said UCLA head coach Billy Martin.
The UNLV lineup only boasted one returner from last year’s
line-up against UCLA, 57th ranked Asaf Tishler. Tishler was
eliminated in two sets by Jean-Noel Grinda playing at UCLA’s No. 1
position, 6-3, 7-5.
As for UNLV’s fresh faces, they turned into worn faces after
UCLA’s charge. In the No. 2 match, Vince Allegre defeated UNLV’s
Nenad Zivkovic, 6-3, 6-4.
For a moment, the match turned into the battle of the drop
shots. The difference was that Allegre matched Zivkovic’s attempted
drop shots with drop shot winners.
"Matt Breen played exceptionally well," said Martin, "He’s been
working very hard in the mornings, trying to make some big jumps in
his game."
Those mornings paid off as Breen defeated UNLV’s Gregor Skorin,
6-2, 6-3, in the No. 3 match.
Jason Cook and Brandon Kramer, UCLA’s No. 4 and 5, both went to
three sets before adding two more points to the Bruins’ seven. Cook
defeated UNLV’s Damu Bobb, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. Kramer struggled with the
Rebel’s Erez in the first set, 6-7, but finished out the match,
6-1, 6-0.
At No. 6, Chris Sands suffocated UNLV’s Brandon Fallon in two
quick sets, 6-1, 6-0.
The Bruins did not even give the Rebels a piece of the bagel,
taking the doubles point by winning all three of the doubles
matches.
The No. 1 match pitted Breen and Grinda against the Rebel’s tall
duo of Skorin and Zivkovic. At one point in the match, Skorin gave
the ball a kiss, but no affection would sway the ball from working
in UCLA’s favor. Breen and Grinda defeated Skorin and Zivkovic,
8-5.
The Bruin’s No. 2 team of Alex Decret and Kramer continued to
play well together extending their season win record to 3-0. UNLV’s
tandem of Tishler and Bobb fell to Decret and Kramer, 8-3.
At No. 3, partners Allegre and Cook played solidly against
UNLV’s Erez and Fallon, emerging with an 8-3 win.
"This was by far the best of the three matches we’ve played so
far, especially with the doubles," said Martin. "That’s going to be
such an important part, that we improve in our doubles and find
three good teams that go well together, and the chemistry is
good."
The Bruins hope to cause more dented racquets next weekend in
their first conference matches of the season against Arizona and
Arizona State.