Kaluder named SEC Tennis Player of the Week

UA Women’s Communications

Posted on Thursday, March 27, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/63563/

On a day when the University of Arkansas Lady Razorbacks were able to progress nine spots to No. 13 in the nation, junior Ela Kaluder was honored as the Southeastern Conference’s Player of the Week for the second time in her career.

“ Ela [Kaluder ] has been playing the best tennis of her career this semester, ” said Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty. “ It is exciting to see her continual improvement since she joined the program. ”

In the past week Kaluder, who just last week entered the singles rankings at No. 122, finished 4-0 overall in singles and doubles. She paced the Lady’Backs against 20 th-ranked Tennessee Lady Volunteers, 6-1, with a clinching win against Ghizela Schutte, 6-4, 6-3. Against sixth-ranked Georgia on Sunday the Bulldogs were one point away from clinching the match, but Kaluder defeated No. 45 Yvette Hyndman, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. She was down 3-1 to Hyndman in the third-set, but fought back to tie the match and set-up the clinching point for Maryori Franco in a, 4-3, win.

“ Although she was behind 3-1 to Hyndman, she had enough strength and heart to dig deep and come through in the clutch as she has often done, ” Hegarty said.

Kaluder is currently 5-1 in SEC play, and has won seven of her last 10 matches. In doubles, she and partner Aurelija Miseviciute are on a three-match win-streak, and 4-2 in SEC action with all matches coming on Court 1.

Thanks to Kaluder’s outstanding performances in the past week, the Lady’Backs were able to move nine spots up to No. 13 in Tuesday’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, the highest ranking for Arkansas in Michael Hegarty’s five years as head coach.

The Lady’Backs will take their five-match SEC winstreak to Gainesville, Fla. on Friday to face No. 4 Florida. The winner of the match will have the outright lead in the SEC.