BOISE, Idaho (UNLVRebels.com) – UNLV’s Kevin Cory became the 46th women’s tennis head coach in NCAA history to reach 400 career victories when his team raced by Boise State, 4-0, Sunday afternoon at the Appleton Tennis Center.
Cory, who is retiring at the end of this season after 25 years leading the program, improved to 400-185 overall in dual matches and an eye-popping 130-37 in Mountain West regular-season matches. The winningest coach in school and conference history, Cory also became just the 33rd women’s coach to reach the 400-win mark at only one school.
Playing indoors because of April snow, the Rebels improved to 12-6 and 5-2 in league play while the Broncos fell to 7-10 and 3-4.
UNLV opened by earning the doubles point. Cindy Hu and Coco Zhao won 6-3 on court two but after Boise State took the match on court three, the key point would come down to the top. Zita Kovacs and Hanna Vinahradava rallied to force a tiebreaker and then cruised 7-1 in the extra frame to win 7-6 and clinch the team lead.
In singles play, the visitors used that momentum to impressively win the first set on all six courts. Kovacs was the first one done with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Pauline Erntsberger at the top of the lineup. Cindy Hu made it 3-0 in favor of UNLV when she finished off Joana Baptist, 6-1, 6-4, at the third spot. The match ended when Coco Zhao closed out Shawna Heffernan, 7-6 (6), 6-1, on court four.
REBEL OF THE MATCH: Coach Cory, who also currently ranks 19th in career wins among all active women’s tennis coaches, gets the designation this time around. The man who started his head coaching career the same year that the Mountain West kicked off reached a major milestone during his final weeks on the job.
QUOTABLE: “I’m super proud of the team and coaches for winning today against a very good Boise State team. I have been so fortunate to coach some great student-athletes over the past 25 years to get us to 400 wins.”
-UNLV Head Coach Kevin Cory
UP NEXT: UNLV will close out its road schedule by heading to California for a match at San Jose State on Saturday.
Women‘s Tennis Match Results
UNLV 4, BOISE STATE 0
April 7, 2024, at Boise, ID
(Appleton Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Pauline Ernstberger (BOI) 6-3, 6-3
2. Lorelyz Marruffo (BOI) vs. Salsa Aher (UNLV) 1-6, 6-6, unfinished
3. Cindy Hu (UNLV) def. Joana Baptista (BOI) 6-1, 6-4
4. Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Shauna Heffernan (BOI) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
5. Nicole Discenza (BOI) vs. Nikol Mircheva (UNLV) 1-6, 7-6 (7-0), unfinished
6. Ariadna Briones G (BOI) vs. Aura Fang (UNLV) 3-6, 4-3, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Zita Kovacs/Hanna Vinahradava (UNLV) def. Nicole Discenza/Lorelyz Marruffo (BOI) 7-6 (7-1)
2. Cindy Hu/Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Pauline Ernstberger/Shauna Heffernan (BOI) 6-3
3. Joana Baptista/Ana Conde Vendrell (BOI) def. Salsa Aher/Aura Fang (UNLV) 6-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (1,3,4)
