Razorbacks sweep tripleheader over Alabama, Nebraska-Omaha

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas swept its tripleheader Sunday, defeating SEC foe Alabama 4-3, before shutting out Nebraska-Omaha 5-0 and 4-0.

With three regular-season matches left, the Razorbacks are now 12-11 overall and 3-6 in SEC play.

Arkansas played from behind against the Crimson Tide in the first match, as Alabama took the doubles point with a win on courts one and two. Juniors Oscar Mesquida and Adam Sanjurjo went behind early against Bama’s Edson Ortiz and Mazen Osama, falling 6-1. The Crimson Tide’s 71st-ranked duo of Thibault Cancel and Alexey Nesteroy would defeat senior Jose Salazar and freshman Josh Howard-Tripp 6-4 to clinch the doubles point for the Tide. Brothers Jose and Pedro Alonso led Patrick Kaukovalta and Riccardo Roberto 5-4 at the clinch.

Arkansas was able to take four straight two-set wins to run out to a 4-1 lead, clinching the win for the Razorbacks. Mesquida started things off with a quick 6-2, 6-2 victory over Cancel on court two, before Howard-Tripp defeated Kaukovalta 6-2, 6-4. Both Razorbacks went 2-0 on the day, as each picked up a win over Nebraska-Omaha following Arkansas’ victory over the Crimson Tide.

Jose Alonso would give Arkansas the 3-1 lead with a 6-4, 4-1 win over Riccardo Roberto, who retired. Arkansas would clinch the win with a victory on court four, as Alex Reco defeated Ortiz 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Following the clinch, Pedro Alonso fell to Nesterov 7-6 (8-6), 6-1, while No. 65 Salazar fell to No. 95 Osama 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 10-5.

Arkansas would go on to defeat Nebraska-Omaha 5-0 and 4-0 in a doubleheader to pick up the Sunday sweep

Arkansas will go back on the road next week, as the Razorbacks travel to Starkville, Mississippi, on Friday to take on Mississippi State at 3 p.m., before traveling further east to take on the Auburn Tigers at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Arkansas 4, Alabama 3

Singles Results – Order of finish (2,3,6,4,5,1)
1. #95 Mazen Osama (BAMA) def. #65 Jose Salazar (AR) 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 10-5
2. Oscar Mesquida (AR) def. Thibault Cancel (BAMA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Patrick Kaukovalta (BAMA) 6-2, 6-4
4. Alex Reco (AR) def. Edson Ortiz (BAMA) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
5. Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) def. Pedro Alonso (AR) 7-6 (8-6), 6-1
6. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 6-4, 4-1, retired

Doubles Results – Order of finish (1,2)
1. Edson Ortiz/Mazen Osama (BAMA) def. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) 6-1
2. #71 Thibault Cancel/Alexey Nesterov (BAMA) def. Jose Salazar/Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) 6-4
3. Jose Alonso/Pedro Alonso (AR) vs. Patrick Kaukovalta/Riccardo Roberto (BAMA) 5-4, unfinished

Arkansas 5, Nebraska-Omaha 0

Singles Results – Order of finish (1,4,5,6)
1. Oscar Mesquida (AR) def. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4)
2. Abdoul Ouattara (OMAHA) vs. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) no result
3. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) vs. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) no result
4. Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Matt Dunn (OMAHA) 4-1, retired
5. Jose Alonso (AR) def. Marko Minic (OMAHA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Branch Terrell (AR) def. Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-1, 7-6 (7-3)

Doubles Results – Order of finish (3,1,2)
1. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. Nathan Reekie/Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) 6-1
2. Jose Alonso/Pedro Alonso (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara/Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 7-6
3. Josh Howard-Tripp/Alex Reco (AR) def. Matt Dunn/Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-0

Arkansas 4, Nebraska-Omaha 0

Singles Results – Order of finish (2,3,4)
1. Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) vs. Oscar Mesquida (AR) no result
2. Adam Sanjurjo (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara (OMAHA) 6-3, 6-4
3. Josh Howard-Tripp (AR) def. Nathan Reekie (OMAHA) 6-0, 4-6, 6-1
4. Alex Reco (AR) def. Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4
5. Marko Minic (OMAHA) vs. Jose Alonso (AR) no result
6. Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) vs. Branch Terrell (AR) no result

Doubles Results – Order of finish (2,3)
1. Nathan Reekie/Razvan Grigorescu (OMAHA) vs. Oscar Mesquida/Adam Sanjurjo (AR) no result
2. Josh Howard-Tripp/Alex Reco (AR) def. Abdoul Ouattara/Alex Woodward (OMAHA) 6-4
3. Jose Salazar/Josh Bortnick (AR) def. Matt Dunn/Luke Moorhead (OMAHA) 6-2