Lady'Backs get near shutout at Missouri 6-1

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A doubles sweep started the afternoon and it almost ended in a shutout as the University of Arkansas Lady Razorback tennis team defeated Missouri, 6-1, at the Green Tennis Center.

Arkansas, 2-1, proved its national ranking with a clean start for the doubles point, and never looked back against the Tigers.

Ela Kaluder and Audrey Bordeleau opened the doubles with an 8-4 win over Katelyn McKenzie and Raquel Wagner to advance to 3-0 on the early season. Maryori Franco and Nanar Airapetian took the second court with an 8-6 decision over Amanda Pratzel and Erika Josbena. Rachel Wilhelm and Melissa Hoffmeister closed out the doubles with a similar 8-6 win over Chrissy Svetlic and Kaitlin Dunham.

It was straight sets the rest of the way in singles as 65th-ranked Kaluder downed Pratzel, 6-0, 6-1, on the first court with Franco defeating Josbena, 6-3, 6-4, on court two.

Airapetian took third singles over Svetlic, 6-2, 6-0, with Bordeleau downing Wagner, 6-3, 6-1. Wilhelm took fifth singles over McKenzie, 6-4, 6-4.

The only Missouri win came at six as Carly Dixon battled into a tiebreaker in the first set and fought hard in the second but was unable to defeat Dunham, 7-6 (4), 6-4.

There is little rest for Arkansas as theLady’Back return to the Dills Indoor Tennis Center for a Sunday afternoon double-header, hosting Sam Houston State at 11 a.m. followed by St. Louis at 4 p.m.