Lady'Backs look strong in opening day of invite

FAYETTEVILLE—The University of Arkansas women’s tennis team held their own in the first day of the Lady Razorback Fall Invitational, going 10-3 at the UA Varsity Courts on Friday. “We were very excited today to open the season,” said head coach Michael Hegarty. “The returnees and newcomers performed strongly and with great synergy.” Combined, the Lady Razorbacks won ten of the 13 matches they played. The Lady’Backs were 7-2 in singles and 3-1 in doubles on Friday. The first Arkansas victory of the day came from junior Melissa Cornett. Cornett once again proved to be a factor in the Lady Razorback Invitational, winning easily over Southwest Missouri State’s Carolina Ardila, 6-0, 6-1. The rest of the Lady’Back wins were not far behind. Veteran senior Whitney Morton gained her first win of the 2004-05 season in a three-set shootout over SMS’s Elizabeth Garza, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Senior Iliana Pacheco also battled her way to victory over Oklahoma State’s Jennifer Poskitt. Junior Vlatka Jovanovic netted her first win as a Lady Razorback when she rolled to victory over Wichita State’s Ana Ines Exeni, 6-1, 6-0. Also first time Lady’Back Karina Ledaja captured her first win of the season, beating WSU opponent Wendi Webster, 6-4, 6-2. Freshman Yawna Allen looked strong in her first collegiate match as she beat Sam Houston State’s Mounia Hassib, 6-1,6-3. Maryori Franco won easily in her first match as well, defeating SMS’s Paty Manzur, 6-1, 6-1. Freshman Audrey Bordeleau fell to SHSU’s Emma McDougall in a three-set, two and a half hour grudge match, 6-2, 4-6, 4-6. Freshman Allison Linden fell in flight play to OSU’s Sandra Blajer, 4-6, 2-6. Doubles play was nearly perfect from a well-meshed Arkansas team. Lady’Backs Jovanovic and Cornett handled WSU’s Richey and Simmons, winning 8-3. Ledaja and Franco won their first match as partners with a win over a handy OSU team, 8-5. Freshmen duo Allen and Bordeleau battled fiercly in a match that was pushed to a tiebreaker, in which the young Lady’Back won, 7-4, to take the match 9-8. The lone Arkansas doubles loss came at the hands of OSU’s Lauren Simmons and Poskitt in a tiereaker, defeating Pacheco and Morton, 8-9 (5). Coach Hegarty was extremely pleased with the performance of his team on the first day of the invitational. “I think we had plenty of nervous energy and handled it mostly well for this time in the season,” Hegarty said. “Tomorrow will be a very challenging day for everyone with the playing of two singles matches and one doubles match.” Action continues tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. For more information, please visit www.ladybacks.com.Friday, September 17, 2004 Match ResultsSinglesTkachenko (OSU) def. Spink (WSU) (6-0)(6-0) Kubickova (OSU) def. Richey (WSU) (6-1)(6-2) L. Simmons (OSU) def. M. Simmons (WSU) (6-2)(6-0)Blajer (OSU) def. Linden (Ark) (6-4)(6-2) McDougal (SHSU) def. Bordeleau (Ark) (2-6)(6-4)(6-4) Masnic (OSU) def. Assundani (SHSU) (6-3)(6-2) Boukheir (OSU) def. Gakovic (SMS) (6-3)(3-6)(6-4) Jovanovic (Ark) def. Exeni (WSU) (6-1)(6-0) Cornett (Ark) def. Ardila (SMS) (6-0)(6-1) Morton (Ark) def. Garza (SMS) (4-6)(6-2)(6-2) Pacheco (Ark) def. Poskitt (OSU) (6-4)(7-6) Ledaja (Ark) def. Webster (WSU) (6-4)(6-2) Allen (Ark) def. Hassib (SHSU) (6-1)(6-3) Stanojevic (SMS) def. Linden (Ark) (6-4)(6-1) Franco (Ark) def. Manzur (SMS) (6-1)(6-1) DoublesJovanovic/Cornett (Ark) def. Richey/Simmons (WSU) (8-3) Exeni/Spink (WSU) def. Kubicikova/Blajer (OSU) (8-3) Boukier/McDougal (OSU~SHSU) def. Stanojevic/Gakovic (SMS) (8-6) Ledaja/Franco (Ark) def. Boukier/Ovelgone (OSU) (8-5) Vitosinskaya/Webster (WSU) def. Tkachenko/Masnic (OSU) (8-1) Allen/Bordeleau (Ark) def. Garza/Ardila (SMS) (9-8)(4) L. Simmons/ Poskitt (OSU) def. Morton/Pacheco (Ark) (8-9)(5)