Lady'Backs advance at Region Championship go 9-1

TULSA – Delia Demaschin was the catalyst for Arkansas as the team finished 9-1 overall on day one of the main draw at the ITA Central Region Championships.

“The team had great focus today,” said Lady Razorback head coach Michael Hegarty. “If we can continue such great focus, I believe we will see some great action the remainder of this tournament.

Demaschin, a freshman from Romania, upset No. 10 seeded Florentina Hanisch of Wichita State , 7-5, 6-3, just one day after winning two matches to qualify for the main draw. She will face Denver’s Bhavani Tirmurti on Friday.

By winning, Demaschin and four other teammates head to the round of 32 on Friday.

Junior Ela Kaluder, the No.1 overall seed in the tournament, fought off Jane Kryunchova of Utah, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4. Kaluder is set to play Alexandra Kichoutkin of Tulsa on Friday. Aurelija Miseviciute, a junior native of Lithuania, kept the Lady’Backs rolling in singles play with her victory over Missouri’s Maureen Modesto, 6-0, 6-1. Miseviciute next match will be against Kansas State’s Viviana Yruetha. Junior Nanar Airapetian pulled off an upset win over No. 12 seeded Kristin Doerr of Brigham Young, 6-4, 6-1. The win puts Airapetian into a match up against Mallory Weber from Missouri. The final Lady’Back singles play cruising to a victory on Thursday was senior Maryori Franco with a 6-4, 6-3, victory over Bryce Kristil of Southeast Missouri State. Now, Franco will face Bianca Jochimsen of Boise State on Friday.

Doubles action illustrated perfection on Thursday finishing 4-0 for the day. The No. 1 seeded duo of Franco and Airapetian received a first round bye, but were ready for action in an, 8-6, topping of Colorado’s Camilla Belassi and Melissa Esposito. Miseviciute and Kaluder, who earned a No. 3 seed, accepted their bye, then enjoyed a victory of Maria Ring and Wiveca Swarting of Nebraska, 8-1.

Senior Audrey Bordeleau and Demaschin outlasted their opponents in two matches of doubles action on Thursday. First, the Lady’Back duo took down Iowa State’s Chrissy Derouin and Erin Karions, 8-4. In their second match, the Arkansas pair defeated Gleify Torres and Abby Probert of Colorado, 8-5.

Bordeleau fell to Tulsa’s Carla Zabaleta, 7-6, 6-2, providing the Lady’Backs only loss on Thursday.

On Friday, singles play will begin at 9:00 a.m., with doubles beginning at approximately 3 p.m.

Be sure to follow the Lady’Backs success at the ITA Central Region Championship by staying tuned to LADYBACKS.com