The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Arkansas
No. 11 Rebels Top Arkansas 4-1
3/23/2018 | Women's Tennis
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Road wins are hard to come by in the Southeastern Conference, and the No. 11-ranked Ole Miss women's tennis team kicked off its four-match road swing with a 4-1 victory at Arkansas Friday evening at the Dills Indoor Tennis Center.
The match was moved indoors due to very windy conditions, and the Rebels took the early momentum by winning the doubles point. No. 11 Arianne Hartono and Alexa Bortles improved to 9-3 at the top spot with a 6-2 win. Natalie Suk and Anna Vrbenska clinched the point winning 6-4 on court three.
Ole Miss went up 3-0 with two quick singles wins from freshman Sabina Machalova and Hartono. Machalova, ranked No. 90, downed 76th-ranked Ana Oparenovic 6-3, 6-1 on court two and then 17th-ranked Hartono cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win against 55th-ranked Giulia Pairone on court one.
Arkansas got on the board with a win at No. 4 singles, as Natsuho Arakawa knocked off 86th-ranked Tea Jandric in straight sets.
With Suk locked in a tight third set on court three and Bortles trailing, Vrbenska made sure neither match would be necessary finishing off Tatum Rice 7-5, 6-4. Down a break in the second set, Vrbenska rallied to win four straight games to clinch.
Quick Hits…
• The Rebels are now 12-5 overall, 3-4 in the SEC.
• The Rebels have now won three straight doubles points after dropping their first four in SEC play.
• Anna Vrbenska improved to 11-1 in dual matches and 5-1 in the SEC.
• Arianne Hartono moved to 11-3 at No. 1 singles, 5-2 at in the SEC.
• Sabina Machalova improved to 7-6 in dual matches and 2-3 at No. 2 singles.
• Hartono and Alexa Bortles improved to 9-3 at No. 1 doubles.
#11 Ole Miss 4, #46 Arkansas 1
Doubles
1. #7 Arianne Hartono/Alexa Bortles (OM) def. #40 Tatum Rice/Ana Oparenovic (AR) 6-2
2. Giulia Pairone/Mia Jurasic (AR) vs. Sabina Machalova/Tea Jandric (OM) 4-4, sus.
3. Natalie Suk/Anna Vrbenska (OM) def. Agne Cepelyte/Natsuho Arakawa (AR) 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3
Singles
1. #17 Arianne Hartono (OM) def. #55 Giulia Pairone (AR) 6-1, 6-2
2. #90 Sabina Machalova (OM) def. #76 Ana Oparenovic (AR) 6-3, 6-1
3. Natalie Suk (OM) vs. Mia Jurasic (AR) 2-6, 6-2, 2-3, sus.
4. Natsuho Arakawa (AR) def. #82 Tea Jandric (OM) 6-1, 6-3
5. Anna Vrbenska (OM) def. Tatum Rice (AR) 7-5, 6-4
6. Alexa Bortles (OM) vs. Martina Zerulo (AR) 1-6, 5-6, sus.
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 4, 5
Courtside with Head Coach Mark Beyers...
"This was a tough road win indoors against a good Arkansas team. We played a solid doubles point to take a 1-0 lead, which always makes things a little easier. Both Arianne and Sabina played fantastic singles matches to give us a 3-0 lead, and then Anna battled back from a 2-4 deficit in the second set to win in straight sets."
Next up…
The Rebels travel to Columbia, Missouri Sunday to face the Tigers at 1 p.m.
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also follow Coach Beyers on Twitter, @MarkBeyers.
Players Mentioned
