Razorbacks look to clinch SEC West
Jimmy Carter
Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: Sports
The No. 14 Arkansas women's tennis team can clinch a share of a second consecutive Southeastern Conference Western Division championship by sweeping matches at Mississippi State and Ole Miss this weekend.
The Razorbacks (10-6, 5-3 SEC) hold a one-and-a-half game advantage over second-place Auburn and are two full games ahead of Alabama and Ole Miss with three games remaining on the schedule.
"It's really huge (having the experience of winning the division last year)," Arkansas coach Michael Hegarty said.
Hegarty said the Bulldogs are not to be taken lightly despite their 0-7 conference mark.
"Our eleventh-ranked (SEC team) is 28th in the country," Hegarty said. "Mississippi State is the one out of the mix right now but if they get one win in the league they're going to be in the tournament as well."
The No. 28 Rebels will be looking to get back into the thick of the division race and Hegarty said the Razorbacks should expect a hard-fought match.
"Ole Miss is having a great year," Hegarty said. "(They) had a win over Florida. It's going to be a really tough weekend on the road and we're real excited about trying to keep getting better."
Arkansas will enter the weekend riding a wave of momentum stemming from a resounding 4-0 victory over then No. 16 Florida. The win ended a 20-match losing streak against the Gators that dated back to the 1991-92 season.
"We've had some really good teams here but it just shows you what kind of a program that Florida's had forever," Hegarty said. "(They are) one of the great women's sports teams in the SEC, not just tennis so that carries a lot of weight and we had a lot of respect for that. It was definitely a great experience."
Senior star Aurelija Miseviciute will look to build on her 8-0 mark in SEC play. An undefeated conference season is a feat the Arkansas career victories leader has yet to accomplish, but she has maintained a spotless record this season despite having to play through injury.
"She wrecked her moped a few weeks ago and banged her knee up pretty good," Hegarty said. "There was a couple matches were she was iffy. (It was) just kind of a testament to how tough she is that she was able to stay strong, which just kind of adds to her legacy."
Hogs hold Senior Day
The men's team will honor Blake Strode and Connor Smith when it hosts Ole Miss for Senior Day on Sunday.
Strode will play his last home match after a career that has seen him compile a 57-33 dual-meet record. He has been the Hogs No. 1 singles player over the past three seasons and will be sorely missed, Razorback coach Robert Cox said.
"Blake is on and off the court just the perfect student-athlete," Cox said. "It's going to be tough to say goodbye to him."
Cox said he believes the conditions might be ripe for an upset at the Billingsley Tennis Center despite the No. 2 Rebels perfect 8-0 SEC record.
"What we've got an advantage with this Ole Miss team is late in the year, Senior Day for us," Cox said. "Maybe there's going to be a little bit of a letdown on the Ole Miss side. They're looking ahead post-season, we're still scratching and clawing."
Prior to Sunday's festivities, the Hogs (10-10, 2-6 SEC) will play host to No. 69 Mississippi State on Friday. Cox said an Arkansas win would go a long way toward clinching an NCAA tournament berth.
"I think it's just dangling out there that they know if we get one or two more (wins) we're in," Cox said. "They could beat us 5-2 just like we could beat them 5-2. That's the one we need. If we get that one we'll be in (the NCAA Tournament)."
The Razorbacks (10-6, 5-3 SEC) hold a one-and-a-half game advantage over second-place Auburn and are two full games ahead of Alabama and Ole Miss with three games remaining on the schedule.
"It's really huge (having the experience of winning the division last year)," Arkansas coach Michael Hegarty said.
Hegarty said the Bulldogs are not to be taken lightly despite their 0-7 conference mark.
"Our eleventh-ranked (SEC team) is 28th in the country," Hegarty said. "Mississippi State is the one out of the mix right now but if they get one win in the league they're going to be in the tournament as well."
The No. 28 Rebels will be looking to get back into the thick of the division race and Hegarty said the Razorbacks should expect a hard-fought match.
"Ole Miss is having a great year," Hegarty said. "(They) had a win over Florida. It's going to be a really tough weekend on the road and we're real excited about trying to keep getting better."
Arkansas will enter the weekend riding a wave of momentum stemming from a resounding 4-0 victory over then No. 16 Florida. The win ended a 20-match losing streak against the Gators that dated back to the 1991-92 season.
"We've had some really good teams here but it just shows you what kind of a program that Florida's had forever," Hegarty said. "(They are) one of the great women's sports teams in the SEC, not just tennis so that carries a lot of weight and we had a lot of respect for that. It was definitely a great experience."
Senior star Aurelija Miseviciute will look to build on her 8-0 mark in SEC play. An undefeated conference season is a feat the Arkansas career victories leader has yet to accomplish, but she has maintained a spotless record this season despite having to play through injury.
"She wrecked her moped a few weeks ago and banged her knee up pretty good," Hegarty said. "There was a couple matches were she was iffy. (It was) just kind of a testament to how tough she is that she was able to stay strong, which just kind of adds to her legacy."
Hogs hold Senior Day
The men's team will honor Blake Strode and Connor Smith when it hosts Ole Miss for Senior Day on Sunday.
Strode will play his last home match after a career that has seen him compile a 57-33 dual-meet record. He has been the Hogs No. 1 singles player over the past three seasons and will be sorely missed, Razorback coach Robert Cox said.
"Blake is on and off the court just the perfect student-athlete," Cox said. "It's going to be tough to say goodbye to him."
Cox said he believes the conditions might be ripe for an upset at the Billingsley Tennis Center despite the No. 2 Rebels perfect 8-0 SEC record.
"What we've got an advantage with this Ole Miss team is late in the year, Senior Day for us," Cox said. "Maybe there's going to be a little bit of a letdown on the Ole Miss side. They're looking ahead post-season, we're still scratching and clawing."
Prior to Sunday's festivities, the Hogs (10-10, 2-6 SEC) will play host to No. 69 Mississippi State on Friday. Cox said an Arkansas win would go a long way toward clinching an NCAA tournament berth.
"I think it's just dangling out there that they know if we get one or two more (wins) we're in," Cox said. "They could beat us 5-2 just like we could beat them 5-2. That's the one we need. If we get that one we'll be in (the NCAA Tournament)."
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