Courtesy University of Arkansas Athletics Department
OXFORD, Miss. – The No. 51 University of Arkansas women’s tennis team finished a 4-0 road trip with a comeback win at No. 36 Ole Miss Sunday, defeating the Rebels 4-3. Arkansas fell behind 2-0 and 3-2, but persevered to get the win. The Razorbacks improved to 10-10, 3-5 SEC, while Ole Miss fell to 5-9, 3-5 SEC.
“To sweep the Mississippi road trip is a very difficult thing to do,” Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty said. “It certainly shows the growth of this young team. Ole Miss always competes extremely well, so to beat them you simply must have a great competitive day.”
The Rebels got off to a quick start, taking the doubles point and the first singles match. In doubles, Arkansas got a strong effort at No. 3, as the duo of Surin/Belmar Hernandez recorded an 8-0 win, not even dropping a game. No. 59 Paulson/Jonker lost to No. 46 Rohde-Moe/Milutinovic 8-4, leaving the match up to No. 2 doubles. Pang/Huxley battled, but fell 9-7 to Stephens/Verboven.
Ole Miss extended their lead to 2-0 by winning at No. 3 singles in straight sets. Sarah McLean fell to No. 66 Mai El Kamash 6-2, 6-2.
The Razorbacks battled back to even the match at 2-2, winning in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 2. No. 93 Claudine Paulson extended her hot streak, winning her 8th straight singles match since the start of SEC play. Paulson defeated Julia Jones 7-6, 6-3 for Arkansas’ first point of the day.
No. 68 Yang Pang played a strong match at No. 1, earning her fifth win of the season over a ranked opponent. Pang dispatched of No. 39 Caroline Rohde-Moe 7-6, 7-6 to even the match at 2-2.
Ole Miss retook the lead with a win at No. 4 singles, as Erin Stephens defeated Kimberley – Ann Surin 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Arkansas faced a 3-2 deficit, and had two freshmen left to compete in singles.
Arkansas got the point right back with a win at No. 5 singles. Freshman Brittany Huxley earned a three set victory, rallying back after dropping the second set, and defeating Marija Milutinovic 7-5, 1-6, 6-3.
The match was even at 3-3, and came down to the winner of No. 6 singles between Razorback freshman Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez and the Rebels’ Vief Vlaar. Belmar Hernandez won the first set 6-2. In the second set, Belmar Hernandez fell behind 5-2, but rallied back to force a tiebreak in the second set. She won the tiebreak to earn a victory in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6, clinching the victory for Arkansas.
Arkansas is back home next weekend for two matches at the Billingsley Tennis Center. The Razorbacks face South Carolina on Friday at 2 p.m., then host Florida on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Complete Doubles Results
1. No. 46 Caroline Rohde-Moe/Marija Milutinovic (OM) def. No. 59 Claudine Paulson/Segou Jonker (ARK) 8-4
2. Erin Stephens/Iris Verboven (OM) def. Yang Pang/Brittany Huxley (ARK) 9-7
3. Kimberley – Ann Surin/Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez (ARK) def. Mai El Kamash/Vief Vlaar (OM) 8-0
Complete Singles Results
1. No. 68 Yang Pang (ARK) def. No. 39 Caroline Rohde-Moe (OM) 7-6, 7-6
2. No. 93 Claudine Paulson (ARK) def. Julia Jones (OM) 7-6, 6-3
3. No. 66 Mai El Kamash (OM) def. Sarah McLean (ARK) 6-2, 6-2
4. Erin Stephens (OM) def. Kimberley – Ann Surin (ARK) 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
5. Brittany Huxley (ARK) -def. Maija Milutinovic (OM) 7-5, 1-6, 6-3
6. Ana Lorena Belmar Hernandez (ARK) def. Vief Vlaar (OM) 6-2, 7-6
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