Miseviciute first to reach tennis Final Four

TULSA, Okla. — On Saturday University of Arkansas junior, Aurelija Miseviciute, became the first ever Lady Razorback to claim four straight victories at the NCAA Singles Championships placing herself into the Final Four of the tournament.

“The University of Arkansas has given me so many opportunities to excel my game,” said Miseviciute. “I didn’t set any goals this season such as to win 50 games or make it to the Final Four. I’m just out here having fun and taking it one match at a time, and I believe I will be able to continue improving thanks to the opportunities I have here at Arkansas.”

Saturday’s opponent was a somewhat familiar face, the No. 8 seed in the tournament, UCLA’s Riza Zalameda. In their last decision it took Miseviciute, the No. 1 seed in the tournament, three sets to dispose of Zalameda. During Saturday’s match she would only need two.

With the first set knotted-up at two games a piece, Miseviciute (52-5) captured the fifth game without allowing Zalameda to even gain a point. Putting herself up 3-2, Miseviciute eventually went on to seal the first set by a score of 6-2. That sole shutout in the fifth game could have been the turning point in the whole match.

“The final score of today’s match does not reflect how close every game actually was,” Miseviciute said. “When it was tied at two, it could have been a crucial point in the set, but each game was just so close.”

Zalameda would not stay down long as she squeaked ahead for a short 3-2 lead in the second set. However, the popular willpower of Miseviciute’s game would take over. She took the next two games to earn a 4-3 lead in the second set, before grabbing two more games and clinching the match, 6-2, 6-3.

“In the first set my serve was working well and helped me win that set,” Miseviciute said. “In the second set, (Zalameda) was getting frustrated and I was able to capitalize off her little mistakes.”

In both sets, Miseviciute reeled off two four-game win streaks to clinch each, and setting up for her semifinal match up on Sunday.

“I play the end of every set in the same manner, so by sticking to my game I was able to reel off those streaks,” Miseviciute said.

Miseviciute will face 25th-ranked Zuzana Zemenova from Baylor in the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Championships at noon on Sunday.

Stay tuned to LADYBACKS.COM for live stats of Sunday’s match.