Lady Razorbacks bull rush Missouri 7-0

Bentonville, Ark. – The No. 1 ranked player in women’s college tennis, Aurelija Miseviciute, made quick work of Mallory Weber 6-0, 6-1, setting the tone for a whopping 7-0 win for 53rd-ranked University of Arkansas Lady Razorbacks over Missouri on Saturday.

Miseviciute set the tone for the match in front of a large crowd at the Walton Health and Fitness Center in Bentonville. Her straight set victory surged the Lady’Backs, 3-0, to capture all seven points including winning every match finishing 9-0 on the day overall.

“It was a very impressive team performance,” said Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty. Our level of intensity from start to finish kept our momentum going in this match.”

Arkansas is now set to open the newly reconstructed Billingsley Tennis Center against Kansas on Feb. 2 at 1 p.m.

Senior Maryori Franco followed the efforts of her teammate downing Chrissy Svetlic 6-1, 6-1. Southeastern Conference freshman of the week, Anouk Tigu, followed in the ways of her older teammates with a 6-0, 6-1 crushing of Maureen Modesto.

The match clincher came when Ela Kaluder finished off Kaitlin Dunham 6-2, 6-2. With the third win of the season sealed tight, Nanar Airapetian pushed through Kaitlyn Ritchie 6-2, 6-2. Missouri’s Jessica Giuggioli gave Audrey Bordeleau a little trouble on Court 5. However, Bordeleau stood her ground ending Giuggioli’s effort 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (4) in the super tiebreaker, pushing her singles record to 3-0 for the season.

Doubles play was no different as the Lady’Backs ran away with the point against Missouri, 0-1.

Franco and Airapetian, ranked 45th nationally, shot down Dunham and Giuggioli, 8-2. The freshman tandem of Tigu and Delia Damaschin captured the doubles point with an 8-4 win over Modesto and Ritchie. Bordeleau and Kaluder overtook No. 43 ranked Weber and Svetlic 8-3, to finish the undefeated day for Arkansas.

Although the match was played at the Walton Heath and Fitness Center several Lady’Back fans turned out for the first home match of the season to get their peak at the highly touted Arkansas team.

“A special thanks to Jake Shoemake and his staff at the WHFC for hosting our first home match of the season,” Hegarty said.