Two doubles pairs advance
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Two Arkansas doubles tandems won their matches Saturday to advance to the semifinals of the doubles draw on the second day at the Colorado Tennis Invitational in Boulder, Colo.
Seven different players also picked up singles win in their respective draws, including two each from freshmen Kelsey Sundaram and Annemijn Koenen.
“I was very heartened by our efforts across the board today,” Razorback head coach Michael Hegarty said. “While the quality was admittedly spotty, the composure and spirit were definitely high points. Its critical that we finish strong tomorrow.”
Junior Anouk Tigu and freshman Claudine Paulson paired up for the first time Saturday as they received a first-round bye into quarterfinal action. They defeated Julie Mazinova and Audrey Woodland of Lousiana-Lafayette 8-3. Emily Carbone and Valentina Starkova also combined to beat Colorado’s Ashley Wahba and teammate Lindsey Gray 8-6. Both pairs will compete in Sunday’s doubles semifinals.
Kate Lukomskaya and Sundaram played a tough match against Colorado’s Abbie Probert and Erin Sanders but lost 8-5. Koenen and Adriana Nieto also fell 9-8 to another Buffalo pair in Madie Kern and Michala Jensen. Each of these teams advanced to consolation play on Sunday.
In the quarterfinals of the Gold singles draw, Tigu won over Camila Belassi of Colorado 7-5, 6-3. Lukomskaya fell to another Buffalo, Melisa Esposito 6-3, 6-3 while Carbone suffered a similar fate as she dropped a 6-3, 6-1 decision to Probert.
Play in the consolation bracket of the Gold singles draw produced more Razorback wins as Sundaram, Starkova, Paulson, Lukomskaya and Carbone all won their respective matches. Sundaram picked up two wins as she defeated Air Force’s Shannon Young 6-0, 7-5 and Colorado’s Ania Anuszkiewicz 6-3, 6-3. Starkova also won in straight sets as she beat Isreal Milou from Louisiana-Lafayette 7-5, 6-1. Paulson added another victory over Milou 6-3, 3-6, (10-5). Lukomskaya won 6-2, 6-2 over CU’s Belassi while Carbone beat Lousiana-Lafyette’s Julie Mazinova 6-2, 6-0.
Koenen picked up two wins to highlight the Black singles draw on Saturday. The Chicago, Ill., native won her first match 7-5, 7-5 over Louisiana-Lafayette’s Tara Vasovic followed by a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Kern. Nieto lost a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Audrey Woodland from Louisiana-Lafayette and a 6-2, 6-1 match against Jensen. Lindsey Gray rounded out singles play for the Razorbacks. The freshman struggled in back-to-back matches, dropping the first 6-0, 6-3 to Colorado’s Allie Wahba and the second 6-2, 6-1 to Sanders.
Action continues on Sunday at the South Campus Courts with play beginning at 10 a.m. Central time.
