Hogs split pair of matches with Wichita State, SE Missouri

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas split a pair of matches Saturday at the George M. Billingsley Tennis Center, falling to Wichita State 4-1 before rebounding with a 4-0 win against Southeast Missouri.

With the win over the Redhawks, Michael Hegarty reached 200 career wins as head coach of the Razorbacks.

In the first match of the day, Arkansas (3-4) won the doubles point, but the Shockers (6-2) responded with four singles wins to earn the team victory.

Later in the afternoon against Southeast Missouri (2-4), Arkansas won doubles once again. The Razorbacks have won the opening point in each of their seven matches this season.

Senior Mia Jurasic was first off in singles, topping Anais Emelie 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3.

The Razorbacks extended their lead to 3-0 when sophomore Natsuho Arakawa made quick work of Maja Lundell 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4.

Junior Ana Oparenovic, the 67th ranked singles player in the nation, delivered the clinch with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at the top spot.

Oparenovic and freshman Tatum Rice went 2-0 in doubles action on the day, bettering their record to a team-best 6-0 at the No. 1 spot this season.

Jurasic and sophomore Giulia Pairone also shined in doubles, winning each of their matches and surrendering only one game. The pair improved to 4-1 in dual matches.

Up Next
Arkansas will return to action against Kansas at 5 p.m. on Feb. 23 at home.

Wichita State 4, Arkansas 1

Singles Competition
1. Giulia Pairone (AR) vs. #73 Fatima Bizhukova (WICH) 7-5, 3-6, unfinished
2. #104 Sandra Honigova (WICH) def. #67 Ana Oparenovic (AR) 6-4, 6-2
3. Giulia Guidetti (WICH) def. Tatum Rice (AR) 6-2, 6-2
4. Gabriela Porubin (WICH) def. Mia Jurasic (AR) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
5. Natsuho Arakawa (AR) vs. Marta Bellucco (WICH) 7-5, 3-6, 1-3, unfinished
6. Sarvinoz Saidhujaeva (WICH) def. Jackie Carr (AR) 6-1, 7-6 (7-0)

Doubles Competition
1. Tatum Rice/Ana Oparenovic (AR) def. Fatima Bizhukova/Gabriela Porubin (WICH) 6-2
2. Giulia Pairone/Mia Jurasic (AR) def. Marta Bellucco/Sandra Honigova (WICH) 6-1
3. Giulia Guidetti/Ting-Ya Hsu (WICH) def. Natsuho Arakawa/Jackie Carr (AR) 5-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,2,6,4)

Arkansas 4, Southeast Missouri 0

Singles Competition
1. #67 Ana Oparenovic (AR) def. O. Doroshenko (SEMO) 6-2, 6-3
2. Tatum Rice (AR) vs. Kseniya Zonova (SEMO) 7-6 (7-5), 0-1, unfinished
3. Mia Jurasic (AR) def. Anais Emelie (SEMO) 6-2, 6-1
4. Natsuho Arakawa (AR) def. Maja Lundell (SEMO) 6-0, 6-2
5. Peyton Jennings (AR) vs. A. Maya Thompson (SEMO) 2-6, 6-1, unfinished
6. Myrna Olaya (AR) vs. Kelly Sicha (SEMO) 2-6, 1-5, unfinished

Doubles Competition
1. Tatum Rice/Ana Oparenovic (AR) def. Kseniya Zonova/Kelly Sicha (SEMO) 6-2
2. Giulia Pairone/Mia Jurasic (AR) def. O. Doroshenko/A. Maya Thompson (SEMO) 6-0
3. Maja Lundell/Anais Emelie (SEMO) def. Peyton Jennings/Myrna Olaya (AR) 4-3

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,4,1)