Lady'Backs 4 Cowgirls 3

Tulsa, OK.– After a tough weekend on the road, the University of Arkansas women’s tennis team improves to 5-0 after defeating the Oklahoma State University Cowgirls, 4-3, Sunday afternoon at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center in Tulsa, OK. The Lady Razorbacks got off to a quick start by winning the doubles point for the fourth time in five dual matches. Maryori Franco and Karina Ledaja disposed OSU’s Iryna Tkachenko and Zana Masnic on court one, 8-1, to improve to 6-1 as a pair. Vlatka Jovanovic and Melissa Cornett defeated Jana Kubicikova and Jessica Collins on court two, 8-2. The junior team remains undefeated when paired together this spring. Among intense matches on all singles courts, Franco notched a Lady’Back score on court two with a 6-1, 6-2 over Kubicikova. With the win, Franco’s record improves to a team-leading 14-2 in the 2004-05 season. Ledaja picked up her second consecutive win on court three with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Masnic to give the Lady Razorbacks a 3-1 lead after an Iliana Pacheco loss on court four. OSU cut the Arkansas lead to one with a victory on court one over Jovanovic, but Yawna Allen gave the Lady’Backs the all-important fourth victory with a win on court five over OSU’s Lauren Simmons. The win marks Allen’s 12th win as a Lady’Back and second career win over Simmons. The Cowgirls garnered a cosmetic third victory on court six over Melissa Cornett. Cornett would not go down without a fight, falling in two tiebreaker sets. “This was a fantastic performance by the entire squad,” said head coach Michael Hegarty. “It was a total team effort and an even better win than Friday’s. It was great to see Yawna clinch her first dual match as a collegiate athlete, and I was especially pleased with the overall team spirit.” The Lady’Backs return action in Fayetteville this Friday for a match against Southwest Missouri State. For more information, please visit www.ladybacks.com.

Tennis Results, Sunday, February 6, 2005University of Arkansas 4, Oklahoma State University 3

Singles1. Iryna Tkachenko (OSU) def. Vlatka Jovanovic (UA), 6-3, 6-42. Maryori Franco (UA) def. Jana Kubicikova (OSU), 6-1, 6-23. Karina Ledaja (UA) def. Zana Masnic (OSU), 6-2, 6-34. Jessica Collins (OSU) def. Iliana Pacheco (UA), 6-2, 6-35. Yawna Allen (UA) def. Lauren Simmons (OSU), 3-6, 6-2, 6-46. Jennifer Poskitt (OSU) def. Melissa Cornett (UA), 5-7, 7-6(5), 7-6(6)

Doubles1. Ledaja/Franco (UA) def. Tkachenko/Masnic (OSU), 8-12. Jovanovic/Cornett (UA) def. Kubicikova/Collins (OSU), 8-23. Poskitt/Simmons (OSU) def. Allen/Bordeleau (UA), 8-2