No. 18 Arkansas Tops LSU
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – No. 18 Arkansas defeated LSU 5-2 on Friday at George M. Billingsley Tennis Center to extend its win streak to eight matches.
The Razorbacks improved to 11-2 overall and 2-0 in Southeastern Conference play. It also marked Arkansas’ eighth win over LSU (8-4, 1-2 SEC) in the last 11 regular-season meetings.
Arkansas won doubles for the eighth straight time and posted three consecutive victories in singles to clinch the overall match at 4-0.
Junior Léolia Jeanjean and freshman Natusho Arakawa were first off the court in doubles, earning a 6-1 win at No. 3. Down 2-0, junior Mia Jurasic and sophomore Ana Oparenovic won six of the next seven games to secure a 6-3 win at No. 2 and clinch the opening point.
Freshman Giulia Pairone opened singles play with a 6-4, 6-0 win at No. 5 to extend the lead to 2-0. Jeanjean made it 3-0 as she defeated LSU’s No. 83 Ryann Foster 6-4, 6-2 at No. 3. Arakawa was down a set and 2-0 in the second at No. 6, but rallied to beat LSU’s Skylar Holloway 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 and clinch the team victory.
With the match decided, play continued on the remaining courts. The Tigers picked up consecutive victories at the No. 4 and 2 spots. Senior co-captain No. 64 Shannon Hudson bested LSU’s No. 39 Jade Lewis 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 at the top spot to close out scoring. Lewis entered Friday’s match with an 8-0 singles record in dual matches.
Hudson’s victory was her fifth straight and second against a nationally ranked opponent this spring. She improved to 14-4 overall with a 9-2 mark in dual matches.
Up Next
The Razorbacks will remain home to take on No. 17 Texas A&M at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
