Miseviciute keeps hope alive at the Riviera

LOS ANGELES – Arkansas Lady Razorback, Aurelija Miseviciute, kept her hot streak alive at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships on Thursday.

Miseviciute, ranked 119th overall, defeated No. 15 ranked Jessica Nguyen of Stanford, 6-4, 6-3, in the main draw of the tournament. She will now face UCLA’s Yasmin Schnack, who brings a nation rank of 28 to the match, on Friday in hopes of making the quarterfinals.

Although Miseviciute was the only Lady’Back who posted a victory in the main draw, head tennis coach Michael Hegarty was very pleased with his team’s performance.

“I am very proud of everyone’s efforts here today,” said Hegarty. “This is the best tennis in the country, and I can really tell we are getting better every minute.”

In other main draw singles action, Lady’Back and No. 25 ranked Ela Kaluder dropped her match 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, to 64th ranked Whitney McCray of Georgia Tech. Kaluder heads to the consolation bracket on Friday where she will play 90th ranked Ragini Acharya of William & Mary.

In doubles actions of the main draw, senior Maryori Franco and junior Nanar Airapetian fell to the No. 1 overall doubles pair in the nation, Williams & Mary’s Megan Moulton-Levy and Katarina Zoricic, 8-3. The Lady’Back duo heads to consolation to play the 22nd ranked duo of Melissa Mang and Tory Zowacki of Duke on Friday.

The three other components of the Lady’Back tennis team, senior Audrey Bordeleau, sophomore Melissa Hoffmeister and freshman Delia Demaschin, begin play at the Northwestern Wildcat Classic on Friday.

Bordeleau, competing in Draw A, faces Purdue’s Alejandra Boeker; Demaschin, playing in Draw B, sets up against Barbara Zidek of William & Mary; while in the Purple Draw Hoffmeister faces DePaul’s Clare Chmiel to round out the Lady’Back schedule in Chicago.

Be sure to stay tuned for results at both the Riviera and the Wildcat Classic at LADYBACKS.com.