Kaluder reaches third place match Airapetian takes two

ATHENS, Ga. – Arkansas’ Nanar Airapetian played two of the most dramatic singles matches of the fall and Ela Kaluder reaches the third place match of the Southeastern Conference Fall Coaches Classic in the A Flight on Sunday afternoon.

Airapetian battled through a pair of three-set matches in the C Flight, starting with a late Friday evening duel with Alabama’s Nicole Briseno. The Arkansas sophomore dropped the first set with a heartbreaking tiebreaker, 7-5, but rallied to blitz Briseno 6-2 in the second to even the match.

Airapetian fell behind 4-1 in the decisive third, then broke Briseno to roll through five straight games to close out the victory, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4.

“We were battling in some difficult matches, and it was great to have our players advance to the semifinals,” UA head coach Michael Hegarty said.

On Saturday, Airapetian almost repeated her three-set magic, but came up short against Georgia’s Nikko Ueoshima. Airapetian took the first set, 6-4, but Ueoshima evened the match with a 6-4 win of her own. The two held serve throughout the third, but Ueoshima finally broke Airapetian for a 7-5 advantage.

The Lady Razorbacks’ top tennis player for the fall semester advanced to the semifinals after two wins on Friday, but was unable to move on to the championship of the high-powered top flight. Kaluder fell to Florida’s Carol Ferrell in the semis, 6-4, 6-0.

In doubles, Airapetian and Melissa Hoffmeister defeated Vanderbilt’s Carol Ferrell and Hanna Blatt, 8-3, in the consolation side of the B flight.