@RazorbackWTEN Knocks Off No. 36 South Carolina
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The No. 44 Arkansas women’s tennis team picked up their 12th home victory and second conference win of the season as they upset No. 36 South Carolina, 4-3, at the Billingsley Tennis Center on Sunday afternoon.
With the win the Razorbacks improve to 12-7 overall and 2-3 in conference play, while the Gamecocks fall to 9-6 on the season and 2-4 in SEC competition.
“No question this was a hard fought match all around,” said head coach Michael Hegarty. “South Carolina is always as tough a team as you will play so we definitely got stronger today from this performance. Total team effort and we will build on this for the upcoming matches.”
Arkansas got on the board first in doubles. The Gamecocks’ No. 45-ranked duo of Brigit Folland and Meghan Blevins defeated Makenzie Craft and Mia Jurasic 8-4 at No. 2, but the Razorback tandem of Shannon Hudson and Yuliya Lysa responded by knocking off the No. 53 ranked doubles team of Caroline Dailey and Hadley Berg 8-6 and putting the deciding match on court three.
At No. 3 doubles, Flavia Araujo and Sasha Shkorupeieva led 7-6 over Megen Cochran and Elixane Lechemia, but the Gamecocks managed to get the match into a tiebreaker. The Razorbacks prevailed in the breaker by an 8-6 score to secure the doubles point heading into singles play.
In singles, courts three and four finished first, with each team taking a match. On No. 3 Craft defeated Folland in straight sets 7-5, 6-2. Blevins scored the Gamecocks’ first point of the match with a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Shkorupeieva at No. 4 singles.
The Razorbacks moved their advantage to 3-1 after Araujo held on for a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Cochran at No. 6, but Lechemia pulled the Gamecocks within one point of the lead with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Lysa at No. 1 singles.
Down a set and in a second set tiebreaker on court two, Dailey tried to keep SC’s hopes alive but Hudson closed the door on the comeback attempt and picked up the 6-2, 7-6(3) win to clinch the match for the home team. Hudson is now 6-5 at No. 2 and 7-6 in dual action this season.
The final match of the afternoon saw Siles Luna defeat Jurasic 6-3, 6-4 at five.
Arkansas will return to action on Friday, March 20, as the Razorbacks head to Lexington, Ky. to face the No. 22 Wildcats of Kentucky. First serve is set for 5:00 p.m. CT.
#36 South Carolina 3, #44 Arkansas 4
March 15, 2015 at Fayetteville, Ark. | Billingsley Tennis Center
Singles competition
1. #74 Elixane Lechemia (USC) def. #117 Yuliya Lysa (ARKW) 6-2, 7-5
2. Shannon Hudson (ARKW) def. Caroline Dailey (USC) 6-2, 7-6 (6-3)
3. Makenzie Craft (ARKW) def. Brigit Folland (USC) 7-5, 6-2
4. Meghan Blevins (USC) def. Sasha Shkorupeieva (ARKW) 6-2, 6-3
5. Ximena Siles Luna (USC) def. Mia Jurasic (ARKW) 6-3, 6-4
6. Flavia Araujo (ARKW) def. Megen Cochran (USC) 7-5, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Shannon Hudson/Yuliya Lysa (ARKW) vs. #53 Caroline Dailey/Hadley Berg (USC) 8-6
2. #45 Brigit Folland/Meghan Blevins (USC) def. Makenzie Craft/Mia Jurasic (ARKW) 8-4
3. Flavia Araujo/Sasha Shkorupeieva (ARKW) def. Elixane Lechemia/Megen Cochran (USC) 8-7 (8-6)
Match Notes:
South Carolina 9-6, 2-4 SEC; National ranking #36
Arkansas 12-7, 2-3 SEC; National ranking #44
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (3,4,6,1,2,5)
For more information on Arkansas women’s tennis, follow @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.
