Three Lady'Backs head to quarterfinals of Region Championship

TULSA – Friday’s Arkansas charge was headed by junior Aurelija Miseviciute, as three Lady Razorbacks are in the quarterfinals of singles at the ITA All-American Championship.

“There are thirty-three teams at this tournament, and to have three of the final eight in singles come from our university, is truly an honor,” said Lady’Back tennis head coach Michael Hegarty.

Joining Miseviciute in the quarterfinals are teammates Maryori Franco and Nanar Airapetian.

Miseviciute made it through the round of 32 by defeating Kansas State’s Viviana Yruetha, 6-4, 6-3. Then, she toppled Iryna Tkackenko of Oklahoma State, 6-1, 6-0, to capture a quarterfinal birth. Miseviciute will face the No. 7 seed, Liz Ferris of Utah, on Saturday.

After defeating Bianca Jochimsen of Boise State, 7-6, 6-4 Franco was forced to play teammate Delia Demaschin. Franco, the senior from Columbia, proved her NCAA experience by taking advantage of the freshman in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. The win places Franco into a match up with the No. 5 seed, Mallory Voleker of Denver, on Saturday.

Airapetian made quick work of her two opponents on Friday. First, she took down Mallor Weber of Missouri, 6-2, 6-2, and then zoomed into the quarterfinals after crushing Oklahoma State’s Yawna Allen, 6-1, 6-1. Airapetian’s opponent on Saturday will be Oklahoma’s Anna Maria Constantinescu.

“We had a really strong day all around,” Hegarty said. There was strength everywhere, our doubles got off slow because of so much singles action, but I was very impressed with our team’s energy.”

Junior Ela Kaluder defended her No. 1 seed in the round of 32 with a win over Tulsa’s Alexandra Kichoutkin, 6-0, 4-6, 6-3. However, Kaluder’s main draw play ended after being upset by Stephani Dalmico of Wichita State, 6-4, 7-6.

Before being defeated by teammate Franco in the round of 16, Demaschin won her first match against Bhavani Tirumurti of Denver, 6-1, 7-5.

In doubles action, the lone Arkansas pair to win was the duo of Kaluder and Miseviciute. The No. 3 seeded Lady’Backs earned a default from Colorado, placing them into the quarterfinals on Saturday.

In other doubles action, No. 1 seeded Franco and Airapetian were upset by Jana Albers and Imke Reimber of Nebraska, 8-5. Senior Audrey Bordeleau and Demaschin lost a heartbreaker, 9-8 (5), to Kansas’ Elizaveeta Audeeya and Edina Horvath.

Singles action will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the semifinal round starting at 11:00 a.m. Doubles will serve off at approximately 1:30 p.m. Be sure to follow the Lady’Backs at the Region Championship by staying close to LADYBACKS.com.