No. 38 @RazorbackWTEN Downed By No. 54 Memphis
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The University of Arkansas women’s tennis team dropped its second match in a row Saturday afternoon, losing 4-3 on a neutral court at the Schwartz Tennis Center against No. 54 Memphis. It was the second consecutive match in which the No. 38 Razorbacks were defeated by a 4-3 margin.
Arkansas’ record drops to 10-4, with all four losses coming to opponents ranked in the nation’s top 55. Southeastern Conference play is next up at the net for the Razorbacks, serving up league play March 1 against Missouri.
Saturday marked already the fifth time in 14 matches this season Arkansas has been involved in a match with a final score of 4-3, holding a 2-3 record in those contests. It is the fourth time in the last five years the Razorbacks have played at least five matches decided by a single point through the season’s first 14 matches.
For the sixth time this season, Arkansas lost the doubles point and fell behind 1-0 early against Memphis. The doubles point was tightly contested as the two losses for the Razorbacks both came in tiebreakers. Sophomore Oleksandra Shkorupeieva and junior Flavia Araujo made quick work of Morga and McElroy on court three, 6-1. Junior Makenzie Craft and freshman Mia Jurasic suffered a narrow defeat on court two, falling 7-6(3) to Tymchenko and Hughes. In the deciding match that could have gone either way on court one, sophomore Shannon Hudson and junior Yuliya Lysa were outlasted in a lengthy tiebreaker, 7-6(10).
Arkansas rebounded in singles to win four first sets, but would only be able to close out three of those matches. Freshman Mia Jurasic put Arkansas on the board first, collecting her ninth win of the spring and beating Tara McElroy on court six, 6-0, 6-2. Shkorupeieva also earned her ninth win by taking down Alyssa Hibberd on court five, 6-2, 6-2.
Arkansas took a 3-2 lead in the match following Lysa’s 6-1, 6-2 win over Liza Tymchenko on court two. Lysa has won her last five matches in a row and leads the team in singles wins, boasting an 11-1 record.
Memphis was able to battle back and claim the match winning on court one and in the deciding match on court three, come back from a set down to clinch.
Arkansas hosts Missouri in its SEC opener March 1 at 12 p.m. Admission to the Billingsley Tennis Center is free.
RESULTS – NO. 54 MEMPHIS 4, NO. 38 ARKANSAS 3
Doubles:
1) Wind/Hibberd (MEM) def. Lysa/Hudson (UA) 7-6(10)
2) Tymchenko/Hughes (MEM) def. Craft/Jurasic (UA) 7-6(3)
3) Araujo/Shkorupeieva (UA) def. Morga/McElroy (MEM) 6-1
Singles:
1) Anki Wind (MEM) def. Shannon Hudson (UA) 6-3, 6-1
2) Yuliya Lysa (UA) def. Liza Tymchenko (MEM) 6-1, 6-2
3) Marta Morga (MEM) def. Makenzie Craft (UA) 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
4) Kathryn Hughes (MEM) def. Nastassia Rubel (UA) 6-4, 6-1
5) Sasha Shkorupeieva (UA) def. Alyssa Hibberd (MEM) 6-2, 6-2
6) Mia Jurasic (UA) def. Tara McElroy (MEM) 6-0, 6-2
