Franco and Ledaja pace doubles in Arkansas loss
Athens, Ga. – Sophomore Maryori Franco and senior Karina Ledaja paced the University of Arkansas women’s tennis team on Friday afternoon to a doubles victory, but the Georgia Bulldogs controlled singles in the 5-2 loss.
With the loss, Arkansas slides to 4-2 for the year and while Georgia improves to 4-5.
Franco and Ledaja took center court for Lady Razorback doubles on Friday after playing on court two for the last couple of non-conference matches. Franco and Ledaja played like the veteran pair they are with an upset win over the No. 9 doubles team in the country, Caroline Basu and Shadisha Robinson, 8-6.
On doubles court No. 2, sophomore Audrey Bordeleau and freshman Aurelija Miseviciute paired up for the first time ever for an 8-5 victory over No. 14 Darya Ivanov and Evgenia Subbotina. The match marked the first time in Miseviciute’s collegiate career that she has not paired with fellow freshman Ela Kaluder.
In singles, the Lady’Backs had several chances to take advantage of the one-point doubles advantage, but experience led UGA to victory in several high intensity matches.
Miseviciute squared off across from prospective Southeastern Conference Player of the Year, No. 30 Natalie Frazier. Miseviciute won the first in a tiebreaker, but was barely edged by Frazier in the next two sets.
“We played really well to win the doubles and put ourselves in position to win the match in singles,” Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty said after the match. “Georgia was just and inch better when it counted. We certainly got better as a team today.”
Arkansas has a chance to break even on this weekend’s SEC road trip on Sunday against Tennessee in Knoxville. The match is scheduled for noon CST and live stats are available via ladyvols.com. For more information on Arkansas tennis or any other Lady Razorback sport, please visit LADYBACKS.COM.
Tennis Match Results
Friday, March 03, 2006
Athens, Georgia
Dan Magill Tennis Complex
Georgia 5, Arkansas 2
Singles Competition
1. #30 Natalie Frazier (UGA) def. # 20 Aurelija Miseviciute 6- 7(1), 7-5, 6-42. #45 Shadisha Robinson (UGA) def. Vlatka Jovanovic (UA) 6- 1, 7-6(2)3. #43 Ela Kaluder (UA) def. Evgenia Subbotina (UGA) 3-6, 7-6 (4), ret4. Caroline Basu (UGA) def. Maryori Franco (UA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-15. Darya Ivanov (UGA) def. Karina Ledaya (UA) 6-2, 6-36. Kelley Hyndman (UGA) def.Rachel Wilhelm (UA)6-4, 6-0
Doubles Competition
1. Karina Ledaja/Maryori Franco (UA) def. #9 Caroline Basu/Shadisha Robinson (UGA) 8-62. Audrey Bordeleau/ Aurelija Miseviciute (UA) def. #14 Darya Ivanov/Evgenia Subbotina (UGA) 8-53. Natalie Frazier/ Kelley Hyndman (UGA) vs. Melissa Cornett/Ela Kaluder (UA) 8-5
— LADY RAZORBACKS —
