March 17, 2019

After spending last weekend at home and losing two SEC matches to Florida and South Carolina, the Missouri Tigers (11-6, 0-5) were hoping to redeem themselves with an SEC win against Arkansas (8-8, 1-4) on Friday. Unfortunately the Tigers were defeated 4-3 by the Razorbacks, marking their fifth SEC loss of the season.

Mizzou got off to a bad start when junior Serena Nash and sophomore Taylor Gruber fell in No. 2 doubles to Arkansas’ sophomore Martina Zerulo and freshman Thea Rice, 6-2. They were followed by sophomore Marta Oliveira and freshman Lisa Fukutoku, dropping at No. 3 doubles to freshman Laura Rijkers and junior Jackie Carr, 6-1.

With two consecutive match losses he doubles point went to Arkansas before the No. 1 doubles match between MU junior Mackenzy Middlebrooks and sophomore Ellie Wright and Arkansas junior Lauren Alter and sophomore Tatum Rice was completed.

The Razorbacks gained a two-point lead when Rice beat Nash at No. 2 singles 6-1, 6-1. However, Wright – fresh off a singles win against Florida last weekend – put the Tigers back in it with a victory at No. 4 singles 6-2, 7-6 against Alter. The Tigers were back-and-forth with the Razorbacks throughout the remainder of the afternoon with Arkansas freshman Miruna Tudor defeating MU freshman Vivien Ábrahám at No. 6 singles 6-2, 7-5, countered shortly after by Gruber beating Carr in three sets at No. 5 singles 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

Despite Fukutoku later beating Rijkers at No. 3 singles 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, the match ended when Middlebrooks fell to Zerulo at No. 1 singles 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, making the final score 4-3 in favor of the Razorbacks.

Mizzou will be looking to make its way back in SEC play after five consecutive conference losses, starting with two home matches next weekend against Texas A&M on Friday, March 22 and LSU Sunday, March 24.

_Edited by Adam Cole | acole@themaneater.com_

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