Razorbacks Lose Tight One at UNLV 4-3

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas continued its strong doubles play, but the Razorbacks lost a heartbreaker to UNLV, 4-3, Sunday afternoon in record winter heat at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nev.

The Hogs (6-13) won the doubles point for the sixth time this season, and for the fourth time in their previous six matches. Arkansas is now 3-3 when winning doubles this season.

The Runnin’ Rebels (6-9) won their second match in two days against a Southeastern Conference opponent. UNLV defeated Mississippi St. Saturday.

The temperatures Sunday in Las Vegas were record highs for the winter season.

"I’m very proud of our guys today," Razorbacks Coach Robert Cox said, "We fought extremely hard, and, again, we played solid doubles."

Blake Strode and Colin Mascall continued their excellent play at the top of the Razorback doubles lineup, clinching the doubles point for the Hogs, 9-8(8), against UNLV’s Brett Hunter and Elliot Wronski. The Strode-Mascall combination improves to 15-4 on the season and 11-3 in dual matches.

Jorge Villanueva and Dmitry Vlaskin also chipped in to help the Hogs win the doubles point. The pair of freshman notched a, 8-3, win over Wesley Burrows and Jonathan Hooper. Villanueva and Vlaskin have now won two of their past three outings.

UNLV responded in singles, taking the first three matches off the courts at positions 1, 5 and 2.

The Razorbacks, trailing 3-1, battled back to win a pair of three-set matches. Mascall grabbed a point at No. 3, fighting back from down a set to defeat David Campbell, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. It was the 10th win of the season for Mascall.

Freshman Dmitry Lebedev also recorded a three-set triumph. Lebedev held off Burrows at No. 4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, to even the match at three apiece. Lebedev notched his 11th victory of the season and evened his dual-match mark at 8-8.

The match came down to court six, where Villanueva was up a break, 2-0, in the final set on UNLV’s Luca Barlocchi. Villanueva was then serving with a 3-1 advantage, but could not fend off a rally from Barlocchi, and the Runnin’ Rebels clinched the dual-match win with a, 7-6, 3-6, 6-4, victory by Barlocchi.

The Razorbacks hit the courts again in Vegas Monday at 1 p.m. when they take on New Mexico St.

1. Elliot Wronski (UNLV) def. #90 Blake Strode (ARK), 6-2, 6-2

2. Brett Hunter (UNLV) def. Andrei Nicoara (ARK), 6-4, 6-1

3. Colin Mascall (ARK) def. David Campbell (UNLV), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

4. Dmitry Lebedev (ARK) def. Wesley Burrows (UNLV), 6-3, 4-6, 6-3

5. Slavko Bijelica (UNLV) def. Dmitry Vlaksin (ARK), 6-2, 6-2

6. Luca Barlocchi (UNLV) def. Jorge Villanueva (ARK), 7-6, 3-6, 6-4

1. Strode/Mascall (ARK) def. Hunter/Wronski (UNLV), 9-8(8)

2. Villanueva/Vlaskin (ARK) def. Burrows/Jonathan Hooper (UNLV), 8-3

3. Campbell/Bijelica (UNLV) def. Gabriel Mattos/Bradwin Williams, 8-4