Fueled by bad blood from last year's meeting, the Arizona men's tennis team feels it has a score to settle with UNLV.

Last year's 4-3 loss to the Runnin' Rebels in Las Vegas on March 14 with a depleted team has not yet been forgotten.

"We don't like them at all. They beat us last year 4-3, and they were real cheaters," Mike MacKay said, specifically about problems with UNLV's line calls. "So we want this one bad for personal reasons."

"It was not a happy trip last time. We didn't have Jan (Anderson, this year's No. 1) or Sten (Sumberg, last year's No. 2 singles player), so this year should be a great opportunity for us," UA head coach Bill Wright said.

The Wildcats (10-6 overall, 2-5 in Pacific 10 Conference) will host No. 16 UNLV (12-6 overall) at the Robson Tennis Center today at 1:30 p.m.

Arizona has beaten two ranked opponents in the last six days, a 4-3 win over No. 15 California and a 6-1 defeat of No. 38 Arizona State, and will have the entire team healthy.

The Runnin' Rebels feature two of the top singles players in the nation as well as the second-best doubles team. Senior Roger Pettersson has been ranked as high as sixth and is coming off his 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over former No. 1 Cecil Mamitt of Southern Cal. Junior Luke Smith, UNLV's No. 2 singles player is currently ranked 34. Teamed with Pettersson, the two form the 2nd-ranked doubles team with an 11-3 overall record.

Jan Anderson will most likely have the task of taking on Pettersson at the No. 1 position.

"I feel that when my game is on I can beat anybody, so I'm not scared to play Pettersson," Anderson said. "I play against great players like him every match, so it is not a confidence question. I just have to play my game."

Arizona and UNLV each have lost to Southern Alabama, UCLA and Southern Cal.

Besides Pettersson and Smith, the Rebels have an inexperienced team with only one other upperclassman and 12 freshmen.

Arizona has the edge in experience at the singles position, with senior captain Chris Jenkins, junior Tom Haugland, senior Vuk Tapuskovic and junior Eddie Schwartz at the No. 3 through 6 spots, respectively.

"Everybody is fighting for that regional ranking, so it is going to be a knock-down, drag-out match," Wright said.