Netters collect first SEC win this year over Auburn

The University of Arkansas women’s tennis team earned its first Southeastern Conference win of the year Sunday afternoon with 5-2 victory over the Auburn Tigers at the Luther Young Tennis Complex in Auburn, Ala. “This is an encouraging performance for us,” said head coach Michael Hegarty. “We are a much better team than what our record indicates.” The Lady Razorbacks battled back after the doubles point slipped away on court one. The Lady’Backs did put one doubles win in the books with two players that have not seen doubles action together yet this year. Freshman Audrey Bordeleau and junior Karina Ledaja recorded their first win together with an 8-4 victory over Auburn’s Isabel Rosenbrock and Sarah Suitor. In singles, Arkansas exploded out in front, winning five of six first sets. Junior Melissa Cornett evened the score at 1-1 with a 6-2, 6-1 blazing of Auburn’s Tori Almagno. The victory marks Cornett’s second conference singles win in a row as she improves to 9-7 this spring and 17-17 for 2004-05. On court one, junior Vlatka Jovanovic played in her first match against a non-ranked player since March 3 and the Zagreb, Croatia, native had little problems on centre court as she cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 victory to give the Lady’Backs a 2-1 lead. Maryori Franco easily won her first set against Auburn’s Nancy Peaden. Auburn’s player looked much better in the second set, but Franco found the edge to win her first career SEC match in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5. Ledaja gave the Lady’Backs the all-important fourth point while competing on court two for just the second time this year. The Liepaja, Latvia native defeated Rosenbrock 6-2, 6-2 to collect her team-leading 24th win of the year and fourth SEC victory. “It’s nice to see Karina clinch it for us; she has had a great year,” Hegarty said. “We were in position to beat South Carolina and Vanderbilt, but we were snake-bitten late in the match.” Though the match was already clinched, the most significant win of the day for the Lady’Backs came on court three. Lone senior Iliana Pacheco put the fifth point on the board for Arkansas with a win over Ashley Cowart. Pacheco won the first set, 6-1, but lost the second, 7-5, to send the match to a super tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, it was all Pacheco, 10-8, as she contributed an individual win in her first career conference dual match victory. “It was really pleasing to see Iliana get over the hump today” said Hegarty. “She battled like a true Lady Razorback.” Pacheco and the Lady’Backs return home for senior day at the UA Varsity Courts this Saturday, April 16, at 1:00 p.m. against LSU. Live scoring is available. For more information, please visit www.ladybacks.com.Tennis Match ResultsSunday, April 10, 2005University of Arkansas 6 vs. Auburn University 1 Doubles Competition: 1. Jelena Jovic/Ashley Cowart (AU) def. Vlatka Jovanovic/Melissa Cornett (UA) 9-72. Karina Ledaja/Audrey Bordeleau (UA) def. Isabel Rosenbrock/Sarah Suitor (AU) 8-43. Tori Almagno/Nancy Peaden (AU) def. Maryori Franco/Iliana Pacheco (UA) 8-3Singles Competition: 1. Vlatka Jovanovic (UA) def. Jelena Jovic (AU) 6-3, 6-22. Karina Ledaja (UA) def. Isabel Rosenbrock (AU) 6-2, 6-23. Iliana Pacheco (UA) def. Ashley Cowart (AU) 6-1, 7-5, 10-84. Melissa Cornett (UA) def. Tori Almagno (AU) 6-2, 6-15. Maryori Franco (UA) def. Nancy Peaden (AU) 6-1, 7-56. Sarah Suitor (AU) def. Audrey Bordeleau (UA) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5