24th-ranked Lady'Backs tame Wolfpack 5-1
FAYETTEVILLE – Another stellar performance by junior Aurelija Miseviciute thrusts 24th-ranked University of Arkansas Lady Razorback tennis team back into the win column after a 5-1 defeat of No. 44 North Carolina State on Sunday.
“This was yet another day of improving like we have all season,” said Lady’Back head coach Michael Hegarty. “Today we won against a well coached and a well prepared team in N.C. State.”
Number 1 ranked Miseviciute kept her six-match win streak alive with a, 6-1, 6-1, straight set victory over No. 79 Daria Petrovic giving the Lady’Backs a 1-0 edge.
“Aurelija has played phenomenal all season and has beaten some high quality opponents lately, which is a great dose of leadership for our younger players,” Hegarty said.
Arkansas, 5-4, captured another point when Anouk Tigu earned her first victory on Court 2 by upsetting 97th-ranked Berkeley Brock, 6-4, 6-2.
With a two-point advantage, the Lady’Backs were eyeing to close the match out quick as the lead was extended to three when junior Ela Kaluder finished off Lenka Hojckova, 6-4, 6-2.
Nanar Airapetian closed in on the clincher for the Lady’Backs by dropping Neils Barringer, 6-3, 7-5, on Court 5, snapping Arkansas’ four match losing streak.
“We’ve gotten better every match,” Hegarty said. “The only difference in today and our last four matches is we pulled out a win, but we know these past few matches will really prepare us for what is to come later in the season.”
With the win sealed for Arkansas, senior Audrey Bordeleau proceeded to defeat Catherine Grotz, 6-2, 6-4, for her team leading eighth singles win of the season.
Teams chose to play singles first, and with the match already decided doubles was not played as N.C. State fell to 4-2 on the season.
The Lady’Backs will return to the Billingsley Tennis Center on Feb. 21 at 2:00 p.m. against Louisiana-Lafayette after five consecutive road matches.
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#24 Arkansas- 5
#44 North Carolina State- 1
1. #1 Aurelija Miseviciute (UA) def. #79 Daria Petrovic (NCS) 6-1, 6-1.
2. Anouk Tigu (UA) def. #97 Berkeley Brock (NCS) 6-4, 6-2.
3. Ela Kaluder (UA) def. Lenka Hojckova (NCS) 6-4, 6-2.
4. Julia Roach (NCS) def. Maryori Franco (UA) 1-6, 6-1, 7-5.
5. Nanar Airapetian (UA) def. Neils Barringer (NCS) 6-3, 7-5.
6. Audrey Bordeleau (UA) def. Catherine Grotz (NCS) 6-2, 6-4.
Match Notes: Order of Finish (1,2,3,4,5*,6)
