30th-ranked Lady Razorbacks lead act in 5-2 Music City win

FAYETTEVILLE – Senior Audrey Bordeleau played a winning tune in Nashville, Tenn. to clinch an, 5-2, upset for the 30th-ranked University of Arkansas Lady Razorbacks over Southeastern Conference opponent and 20th-ranked Vanderbilt on Friday.

The win for Arkansas ended a 10-match losing streak to Vanderbilt dating back to 1997.

“This was yet another positive step for us on the season against a tough SEC opponent,” said Lady’Back head coach Michael Hegarty.

With the Lady’Backs (9-5, 2-1 in SEC) looking to close out the match after establishing a 3-2 lead, Bordeleau stepped up to the challenge. The singles match on Court 6 was the final to start, but that did not stop the cruising Canadian from crushing Caroline Ferrell in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, earning her team-leading 12th victory of the season.

“Being the final singles match to start there was a lot of pressure on Audrey today, but our team felt great with her leadership out there in the deciding match,” Hegarty said. “She is a clutch performer and has steadily been a wall to lean on this season.”

Arkansas will end their weekend road-trip Sunday at 12:00 p.m. against No. 15 Kentucky what should make for another exciting SEC match up.

For the sixth straight match, the Lady’Backs used doubles as an impulse to jump out to a 1-0 lead. Fresh into the rankings at No. 59, Bordeleau and Anouk Tigu overpowered Taka Bertrand and Keilly Ulery, 9-7, to clinch the doubles point after No. 54 Maryori Franco and Nanar Airapetian finished big, 9-7, over Ferrell and Catherine Newman earlier in the match.

The Commodores (8-3, 0-3 in SEC), who came into the match on cloud nine after defeating No. 2 Georgia Tech 4-3, tied the match at 1-1 when Keilly Ulery dropped Nanar Airapetian, 6-0, 6-1. Junior Aurelija Miseviciute, ranked No. 1 in nation, pushed Arkansas back into the driver’s seat, 2-1, with a straight-set victory over 35th-ranked Amanda Taylor, 6-2, 6-4.

Senior Maryori Franco upset No. 51 Courtney Ulery, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, putting Arkansas in command needing a mere point to claim their second SEC victory.

Vanderbilt got their last hope of the day when Bertrand took down Tigu, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, in three sets to set the score at 3-2 for Bordeleau’s clincher.

With a Lady’Back win in the books, junior Ela Kaluder put an exclamation point on the match with an upset over No. 37 Newman, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4), proving the 5-2 final.

While a new streak begins in the Arkansas-Vanderbilt series, Hegarty believes more big upsets are possible as his team has yet to reach their highest level of tennis.

“Today we got contributions from everyone,” Hegarty said. “This was a huge win for us, but what’s exciting overall is we have yet to peak as a team.”

For all your Lady’Back tennis information, visit LADYBACKS.COM.

#30 Arkansas-5

#20 Vanderbilt-2

Singles

1. #1 Aurelija Miseviciute (Ark.) def. #35 Amanda Taylor (VU), 6-2, 6-4.

2. Ela Kaluder (Ark.) def. #37 Catherine Newman (VU), 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(4)

3. Taka Bertrand (VU) def. Anouk Tigu (Ark.), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

4. Maryori Franco (Ark.) def. #51 Courtney Ulery, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.

5. Keilly Ulery (VU) def. Nanar Airapetian (Ark.), 6-0, 6-1.

6. Audrey Bordeleau (Ark.) def. Caroline Ferrell (VU), 6-3, 6-2.

Match Notes: (Order of Finish: 5,1,4,3,6*,2)

Doubles

1. Amanda Taylor/Courtney Ulery (VU) def. #21 Aurelija Miseviciute/Ela Kaluder (Ark.), 8-6

2. #54 Maryori Franco/Nanar Airapetian (Ark.) def. Caroline Ferrell/Catherine Newman (VU), 9-7

3. #59 Audrey Bordeleau/Anouk Tigu (Ark.) def. Taka Bertrand/Keilly Ulery (VU), 9-7.

Match Notes: (Order of Finish:2,1,3*)