LAS VEGAS-The University of Hawai`i women's tennis team played hard but were unable to procure a flight-win on the first day of play at the UNLV Fall Invitational. Newcomer Julia Sandborn was awarded a first round bye in Flight 6 and will advance to the semifinal round of the main draw tomorrow. Sandborn, along with partner Samanta Cappella, also secured a bye in their first round of doubles competition and will advance to the finals of Flight 6. The rest of the squad will advance to the back draw of the tournament.

The days only win came from Sandborn, who drew a bye for her first round match, but beat Shelby Rohrer of the University of Minnesota(6-0, 6-3) in non-tournament play. In one of the closest matches of the day, senior Lauren Fitzgerald played tough winning her first set (7-6 (7-5)) against UNLV's Elena Gantcheva. But Gantcheva fought back to take the match, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-1. Fitzgerald will play in the back draw along with the rest of her squad, except for Sandborn who is scheduled to take on Stephanie Serrano of UNLV in tomorrow's flight six semifinal match.

In doubles action the Rainbow Wahine did not fare much better, dropping all three matches for the day. In flight five, the doubles team of Justine Boutet and Kana Aikawa pushed their match into extra games before the Louisiana State team of Camila Caliari and Jenny Wooten came away with a 9-7 win.

The Rainbow Wahine begins match play tomorrow at 10:00 AM.

Results Day One, UNLV Fall Invitational
SINGLES
Flight 1
Elena Gantcheva (UNLV) def. Lauren Fitzgerald, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 1-6

Flight 2
Irina Lykina (Oklahoma) def. Justine Boutet, 6-0, 6-4

Flight 3
Jessica Braver (Oklahoma) def. Chloe Bihag, 6-2, 6-0
Cindy Treber (UNLV) def. Paige Mainor, 6-2, 6-0

Flight 4
Claire Smith (UNLV) def. Kana Aikawa, 6-3, 6-4
Marina Bugaenco (Minn.) def. Kimberly Curtis, 6-1, 6-3

Flight 5
Mery Constanti (UNLV) def. Samanta Cappella, 6-2, 6-2

Flight 6
Julia Sandborn, bye

DOUBLES
Flight 2
Tucker/Chiarelli (LSU) def. Fitzgerald/Mainor, 8-5

Flight 3
Kubicikova/Blajer (Okla. State) def. Curtis/Bihag, 8-4

Flight 5
Wooten/Caliari (LSU) def. Boutet/Aikawa, 9-7

Flight 6
Sandborn/Cappella, bye

- UH -