FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Arkansas women’s tennis team concluded its first day of play at the Oklahoma Sooner Invitational in Norman, Okla., on Friday and racked up a total of 11 singles victories. Four Razorbacks finished the day with a 2-0 record through two rounds of singles play and seven of the eight Razorbacks who competed earned at least one win.
Among the Razorbacks who went through Friday’s play unbeaten include sophomores Shannon Hudson and Oleksandra Shkorupeieva and juniors Makenzie Craft and Flavia Araujo.
“To have four players win both singles matches today was obviously a highlight for us,” head coach Michael Hegarty said. “Makenzie used some trademark fight to win from match point down in her first match and Shannon, Sasha and Flavia were very sharp. All in all, it was a very impressive day for us.”
Hudson, ranked No. 121 in singles in the preseason ITA poll, earned a first-round win over Oklahoma’s Morgan Chumney coming back from a set down to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. In her second round, she went on to defeat Kamilla Galieva of North Texas in three sets, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4.
Shkorupeieva continued her strong start to the fall season by taking down Kansas State’s Amina St. Hill 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and Sonja Radosevic of Denver 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 in the second round.
Craft earned her first win in a Razorback uniform as she rallied to overtake Kansas’ Smith Hinton in three sets, 5-7, 7-5, 6-0. In the second round, Craft played another three-setter, defeating Chrisite Brigante of Oklahoma, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
Araujo did not drop a set as she won both of her matches, defeating Kansas State’s Iva Bago 6-1, 6-3, in the first round and Charlotte Derbyshire of Denver in the second round, 6-3, 6-2.
Freshman Mia Jurasic earned her first collegiate win as she took down Kansas State’s Palma Juhasz 6-4, 6-4 in her second match of the day.
Junior Yang Pang collected a first round win, defeating Hortense Boscher of Texas Tech, 6-2, 7-6.
Junior Nicole Breaux won her second match of the day, beating Carli Knezevich of Abilene Christian, 6-4, 6-2.
Play will resume Saturday morning from the Headington Tennis Center. Opening matches of the doubles bracket as well as singles will be contested.
RESULTS
Singles first round:
Shannon Hudson (UA) def. Morgan Chumney (OU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
Yang Pang (UA) def. Hortense Boscher (Texas Tech) 6-2, 7-6
Makenzie Craft (UA) def. Smith Hinton (Kansas) 5-7, 7-5, 6-0
Kaysie Hermsdorf (Abilene) def. Mia Jurasic (UA) 6-3, 6-0
Sasha Shkorupeieva (UA) def. Amina St. Hill (Kansas St) 6-3, 6-3
Melinda Johnson (Kansas) def. Peyton Jennings (UA) 6-2, 6-4
Flavia Araujo (UA) def. Iva Bago (Kansas St) 6-1, 6-3
Livia Cirnu (Kansas St) def. Nicole Breaux (UA) 6-2, 6-4
Singles second round:
Hudson (UA) def. Kamilla Galieva (N. Texas) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4
Dobby Leenabanchong (Tulsa) def. Pang (UA) 4-0, ret.
Craft (UA) def. Chrisite Brigante (OU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
Jurasic (UA) def. Palma Juhasz (Kansas St) 6-4, 6-4
Shkorupeieva (UA) def. Sonja Radosevic (Denver) 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
Breaux (UA) def. Carli Knezevich (Abilene) 6-4, 6-2
Laura Hopton (Kansas St) def. Jennings (UA) 6-2, 6-1
Araujo (UA) def. Charlotte Derbyshire (Denver) 6-3, 6-2
For results from each day’s action, check ArkansasRazorbacks.com and @RazorbackWTEN on Twitter.