Volleyball seeks big finish

Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999 | 9:55 a.m.

Despite a 2-10 record in the conference and losses in six of its past seven matches, the UNLV volleyball team still holds out hope of improving its standing in the Mountain West Conference heading into next week's MWC Tournament.

The Rebels (10-13 overall) are in last place in the eight-team conference with two home matches remaining, but have a mathematical chance of finishing as high as fifth.

UNLV closes out the regular season with matches Friday night at 7 against Air Force and Saturday night at 7 against New Mexico. Both games will be played in Lied Gymnasium.

UNLV can clinch the fifth seed in the single-elimination tournament by beating Air Force (5-7) and New Mexico (4-8) in its final two matches and if Wyoming loses at least one of its remaining matches (against BYU and Utah).

BYU and Utah are tied for the conference lead at 11-1.

The importance of finishing out of the conference cellar is obvious. The eighth-place team would face the No. 1 seed in the conference in the opening round of the tournament, which begins next Wednesday in Provo, Utah.

UNLV snapped a six-match losing streak Saturday night by defeating Wyoming in Laramie behind Angie Sylvas' match-high 26 kills and 14 digs.

Danielle Gerlach (13 kills and 15 digs) and Julia Goes (45 assists, 13 digs) also recorded double-doubles for the Rebels.

* SWIMMING: The men's swimming team defeated BYU last Friday at Buchanan Natatorium while the women's squad split with BYU and Nevada-Reno.

The men beat BYU 122-115 in a meet that was decided in the last race of the evening, the 200 medley relay. UNLV's team of David Schick, Piotr Kryzskow, Bobby Middleton and Garrett Wood topped BYU with a time of 1:21.36.

Michael Soria (1000 free), Michael Short (100 free), Kryzskow (50 free) and Middleton (200 breast) also scored individual wins.

UNLV's women beat BYU 146-90 but lost to UNR 127-109. The Rebels' 200 medley relay team of Lindsey Whipple, Sabrina Ferrari, Madalina Tin and Lorena Diaconescu captured its event in 1:46.79.

UNLV's 400 free relay team of Tin, Robin Lamp, Ferrari and Ashley Crowder also finished first in 3:34.17.

Diaconescu also won the 100 free with a time of 51.32.

* CROSS COUNTRY: The UNLV women's cross country team closed out its season with a 16th-place finish at the NCAA West Regional at Blue Lake Park last weekend. Junior Jenni Nelson was the Rebels' top finisher for the third straight race, finishing 43rd overall in 18:22.

Senior Kathryn Goetz and freshman Rhonda Kilfoyle turned in standout performances for the Rebels. Goetz, 82nd overall, ran just eight seconds off her career best, clocking a 18:57. Kilfoyle also was just shy of her best time, finishing the 5-kilometer race in 19:06 and placing 91st.