Razorbacks Open Competition In Missouri
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Highlighted by strong showings in both singles and doubles play Friday, the Arkansas women’s tennis team posted an 8-2 record on opening day of the Missouri State Fall Invitational at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
“I was encouraged by the spirits of the ladies out here today,” assistant coach Luc Godin said. “At times our level was extremely high, and we will be looking for a strong finish in the event tomorrow.”
Riding the momentum of her impressive efforts at the USTA/ITA Central Regional Championships two weeks ago, Natsuho Arakawa continued her stellar freshman campaign with an undefeated day in both singles and doubles action.
Arakawa and sophomore Agne Cepelyte set the pace for the Razorbacks in Flight 1 doubles, beating Southeast Missouri State’s Kseniya Zonova and Anais Emelie 6-3. The duo will take on Louisiana Tech’s Angela Lorenzo and Nadja Manjon in the Flight 1 doubles semifinal Saturday.
Arakawa carried her strong play into Flight 1 singles, easing past Missouri State’s Anelisse Torrico 6-3, 6-3 before defeating Louisiana Tech’s Marta Sramkova 6-3, 6-1. The two victories improved her overall record on the season to 7-3. She will face Louisiana Tech’s Jazmin Britos on Saturday in the Flight 1 singles championship.
After a 6-4, 7-6 (1) setback to Southeast Missouri State’s Oleksandra Doroshenko in the opening round of Flight 1 singles, Cepelyte responded with a 7-5, 3-6, 10-7 win over Central Arkansas’ Amiru Shimoguchi. Cepelyte will play Southeast Missouri State’s Zonova on Saturday in the Flight 1 singles consolation final.
Senior co-captain Sasha Shkorupeieva and sophomore Peyton Jennings picked up a 6-2 victory over Missouri State’s Abbey Belote and Fati Khamissi in Flight 2 doubles. The duo will play Central Arkansas’ Marli Van Heerden and QiLi Ma in the Flight 2 doubles semifinal Saturday.
In Flight 2 singles, Shkorupeieva defeated Missouri State’s Ekaterina Donetskova before falling to Louisiana Tech’s Alba Perny 6-4, 6-0. Shkorupeieva is set for a Flight 2 singles third-place matchup Saturday against Central Arkansas’ Ma.
Jennings went on to post back-to-back victories in Flight 4 singles as she defeated Missouri State’s Belote 6-1, 6-3 before dispatching Southeast Missouri State’s Annisa Warasanti 6-2, 6-2. Jennings will meet Missouri State’s Phoebe Boeschen in the Flight 4 singles championship Saturday.
Doubles play gets underway Saturday at 9 a.m. CDT, with singles action slated to follow at 11 a.m. CDT.
For more information on Arkansas women’s tennis, follow @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.
