Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 34 Arkansas
No. 54 Fresno State Upsets No. 34 Arkansas, 4-1
1/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
LOS ANGELES - The No. 54-ranked Fresno State women's tennis team opened the spring dual season with a convincing 4-1 win over No. 34 Arkansas in the opening round of the ITA Kickoff Weekend on Friday at the Los Angles Tennis Center. Fresno State will now face No. 8 UCLA on tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT with the winner advancing to the Round of 16 of the National Indoor Team Championships.
"It was an impressive win today," Fresno State head coach Ryan Stotland proudly said. " Arkansas is a very good team in the country and to beat a team like that the way we did says a lot about our team and where we're going. We can't be satisfied with this win though as we have high aspirations and will do what we can to make it to the sweet sixteen and face another top opponent."
The Bulldogs opened up the match by taking the doubles point. Despite dropping the first doubles match, Maiar and Rana Sherif Ahmed leveled it with a 6-4 win at No. 1, and No. 58-ranked Anneka and Sophie Watts finished off the point with a 7-6 win at No. 2.
Sophie Watts quickly made it 2-0 in Fresno State's favor with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 2 over Ana Oparenovic. In the No. 3 spot, Galina Bykova extended the lead with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Mia Jurasic.
After Rana Sherif Ahmed fell at No. 3, Anneka Watts finished off Razorbacks in the No. 6 position, defeating Agne Cepelyte, 7-5, 6-3.
The 'Dogs will now turn their attention to UCLA as the Bruins defeated UC Irvine 4-0.
Fresno State vs Arkansas
Jan 22, 2016 at Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles Tennis Center)
#54 Fresno State 4, #34 Arkansas 1
Singles competition
1. Shannon Hudson (ARK) vs. #26 Maiar Sherif Ahmed (FS) 3-6, 5-4, unfinished
2. Sophie Watts (FS) def. Ana Oparenovic (ARK) 6-4, 6-3
3. Makenzie Craft (ARK) def. Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) 6-2, 6-4
4. Galina Bykova (FS) def. Mia Jurasic (ARK) 6-0, 6-4
5. Sasha Shkorupeieva (ARK) vs. Emma Wilson (FS) 1-6, 6-4, 3-1, unfinished
6. Anneka Watts (FS) def. Agne Cepelyte (ARK) 7-5, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Maiar Sherif Ahmed/Rana Sherif Ahmed (FS) def. Flavia Araujo/Makenzie Craft (ARK) 6-4
2. #58 Anneka Watts/Sophie Watts (FS) def. Agne Cepelyte/Shannon Hudson (ARK) 7-6 (7-4)
3. Ana Oparenovic/Mia Jurasic (ARK) def. Olivia Noble/Sofya Malysheva (FS) 6-2
Match Notes: Fresno State 0-0; National ranking #54 Arkansas 1-0; National ranking #34
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,4,3,6)
Players Mentioned
