Razorbacks pick up third straight win, downing Memphis, 4-3

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas won its third straight match at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center, edging Memphis, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon.

In the final match-up of the day freshman Melvin Manuel came back to win the final two sets on court five to get the win for the Hogs.

Arkansas secured the doubles point for the second time this season with wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots. The pairing of Manuel and Jose Dominguez Alonso moved to 5-2 this spring with a 6-3 victory on court three while Alex Reco and Nico Rousset earned the duos second win this season.

In singles action, Maxim Verboven made quick work at the No. 1 spot with a 6-1, 6-3 straight set win over Jan Pallares.

Enrique Paya followed that up on court six with a two-set win over Patrick Sydow to put the Razorbacks up 3-0. Memphis rattled off three straight wins to tie up the contest at three points apiece.

Manuel dropped the first set at the No. 5 spot in the deciding match but fought back to take set two, 7-5.

After the rookie built a lead in the final set his Tiger opponent, Jeremy Taylor, brought the score to 5-4 with Manuel holding just a single game lead, but the Razorback was able to close it for the Hogs’ fourth win of the season.

Doubles

• No. 1 | Verboven/Paya (Ark) vs. Cutting/Stevenson (Memphis), 5-5 (unfinished)
• No. 2 | Reco/Rousset (Ark) def. Pallares/Sydow (Memphis), 7-5
• No. 3 | Manuel/Dominguez Alonso (Ark) def. J. Story/M. Story (Memphis), 6-3

Singles

• No. 1 | Maxim Verboven (Ark) def. Jan Pallares (Memphis), 6-1, 6-3
• No. 2 | Oscar Cutting (Memphis) def. No. 73 Alex Reco (Ark), 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
• No. 3 | James Story (Memphis) def. Josh Howard-Tripp (Ark), 6-7, 6-4, 6-2
• No. 4 | David Stevenson (Memphis) def. Nico Rousset (Ark), 6-3, 1-6, 6-4
• No. 5 | Melvin Manuel (Ark) def. Jeremy Taylor (Memphis), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4
• No. 6 | Enrique Paya (Ark) def. Patrick Sydow (Memphis), 6-3, 6-4

Information from Razorback Sports Communications is included in this story.