Kaluder advances to round of 16 at ITA Nationals
FAYETEVILLE – Freshman Ela Kaluder wowed spectators in Columbus, Ohio by advancing to the round of 16 for the University of Arkansas women’s tennis team at the ITA National Indoor Championships on Thursday afternoon.
Kaluder made the 18th win of her collegiate career the biggest one to date with a straight-set 6-4, 6-3 victory over 21st ranked Helena Besovic of TCU.
“Ela continued today right where she left off at regionals,” said Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty. “Besovic had a great year last year, so we are excited to keep moving forward in the draw,”
With the win, Kaluder improves to 18-1 this fall and is slated against No. 34 Diana Srebovic of Florida in the round of 16 on Friday morning. Srebovic defeated the bracket’s seventh seeded player, California’s Suzi Foder to advance.
In the national tournament’s doubles round of 16, freshmen team Kaluder and Aurelija Miseivciute were also in action on Thursday, but came up just short in an 8-5 loss to Harvard’s Melissa Anderson and Elsa O’Ryan. The Lady Razorback pair plans to bounce back on Friday in consolation play against Fresno State’s Lucia Santz and Katherine Winterhalter.
At the SEC Fall Coaches Classic, the Lady’Backs faired well on an all-doubles opening day. Flight B was all Arkansas on Thursday as teams composed of senior Melissa Cornett and freshman Rachel Wilhelm and senior Vlatka Jovanovic and sophomore Audrey Bordeleau each advanced to the semifinals with two Thursday wins.
Cornett and Wilhelm cruised in an 8-3 ousting of Ole Miss’ Miss’ Mary Ellen Henry and Sarah Sabin in the round of 16 and defeated Kentucky’s Laura Mauer and Liis Soberin the quarterfinals, 8-5.
After receiving a bye in the round of 16, Jovanovic and Bordeleau wasted no time in the quarterfinals with an 8-1 roll over Auburn’s Irina Puslin and Erin Gray. Another win by both Lady’Back teams would produce the third all-Arkansas doubles final this fall.
In Flight A doubles action, Karina Ledaja and Maryori Franco defeated Vanderbilt’s Taka Bertrand and Maggie Yahner 8-4 in the round of 16 before falling to the top-seeded Gator duo of Whitney Benik and Nina Suvak 8-3.
"Maryori and Karina had a great win over an excellent Vanderbilt team and our play in the B Flight was very solid,” Hegarty said. “Friday we have a big docket of singles matches and will be tested greatly."
The Lady’Backs are in action through Sunday. For more information, please visit LADYBACKS.COM.
Tennis Results:
ITA National Indoor Championships/SEC Fall Coaches Classic
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Columbus, Ohio and Atlanta, Ga.
ITA National Indoor National Championships
Singles
Round of 32
Ela Kaluder (Arkansas) def. Helena Besovic (TCU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
Round of 16
Melissa Anderson/Elsa O’Ryan (Harvard) def. Ela Kaluder/Aurelija Miseviciute (Arkansas) 8-5
SEC Fall Coaches Classic
Doubles
Flight A
Round of 16
Maryori Franco/Karina Ledaja (Arkansas) def. Taka Bertrand and Maggie Yahner(Vanderbilt) 8-4
Quarterfinals
Whitney Benik/Nina Suvak (Florida) def. Maryori Franco/Karina Ledaja (Arkansas) 8-3
Flight B
Round of 16
Melissa Cornett/Rachel Wilhelm (Arkansas) def. Mary Ellen Henry/Sarah Sabin (Ole Miss) 8-3
Preethi Subramanian and Carlin Cochran (Ole Miss) def. Lindsey Brown/Allison Linden (Arkansas) 8-2
Quarterfinals
Melissa Cornett/Rachel Wilhelm (Arkansas) def. Laura Mauer and Liis Soberin (Kentucky) 8-5
Audrey Bordeleau/Vlatka Jovanovic (Arkansas) def. Erin Gray and Irina Plusnin (Auburn) 8-1
— LADY RAZORBACKS —
