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STILLWATER, Okla. – The Wichita State women's tennis team fell to No. 19 Arkansas, 4-2, in the First Round of the NCAA Championship this morning at Oklahoma State's Greenwood Tennis Center.

The Shockers (18-9) pushed the doubles point all the way to seventh set of the third match, but Arkansas (18-9) ultimately came away with the point. All the singles matches finished in straight-sets.

Giulia Guidetti (24-13, 13-7 in top flight) closes the year out with the most wins in a two-year span with 63. The 2017 MVC Player of the Year broke the school record for singles wins in a season last year with 39 to go with her 24 wins this year.

Fatima Bizhukova (22-6, 22-4 duals) won her 15th consecutive singles match, best on the team this season. She teamed with Gabriela Porubin to grab an upset victory. The No. 1 All-MVC couple end the season having won 14 of their last 16 contests, and finish the year with a team-best 21-7 record, and gives Porubin her 28th doubles win this year, putting her in the top-ten for doubles wins in a season.

"It was another successful season," said head coach Colin Foster. "I think some of the players, and I'd throw myself into this category as well, were unsure of what this year would bring with so many players graduating from last year's team. This group answered those questions day in and day out, developed their own identity, and continued on the foundation that has been laid over the years. Today's match was a good battle. We played without fear and created opportunities. Gaby and Fatya in doubles, and Giulia and Fatya in singles were outstanding. On the other courts we battled hard, just credit Arkansas for playing too well at some big points, and then closing matches out with conviction."

Doubles:
Natusho Arakawa and Shannon Hudson grabbed the first doubles win with a 6-3 victory over Marta Bellucco and Guidetti in the third flight.
In a battle of ranked duos, Porubin and Bizhukova (No. 84 Oracle/ITA) responded with a 6-4 upset over Giulia Pairone and Leolia Jeanjean (No 28 Oracle/ITA) in the top flight.

Down 4-5, Tanaporn Thongsing and Ting-Ya Hsu rebounded to make it 5-5, forcing their match with Ana Oparenovic and Mia Jurasic to go two more sets in the second flight, but the Razorback duo took the next two sets to win 7-5 and give Arkansas the point.

Singles:
Guidetti struck first in singles play, knocking off No. 45-ranked Hudson 6-1, 6-1 in a top flight rematch to score the first point for WSU. The two left their first match unfinished when they first met on Feb. 20.

Arakawa defeated Bellucco 6-1, 6-4 in the sixth flight, and Pairone beat Porubin 6-2, 6-1 seconds later in the fourth flight to put the Razorbacks up 3-1.
Bizhukova kept the Shockers alive, upsetting Oparenovic (No. 64 Oracle/ITA) 6-4, 6-1 in the second flight. The All-MVC (#4 flight) selection ends with a 3-0 record when playing in the second flight.

Jeanjean defeated Thongsing 6-3, 6-4 in the third flight to clinch the match for Arkansas, sending them to the Second Round.
 

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Tennis Match Results
Wichita State vs Arkansas
May 13, 2017 at Stillwater, Okla.
(Greenwood Tennis Center)

#19 Arkansas 4, Wichita State 2

Singles competition
1. Giulia Guidetti (WSU) def. #45 Shannon Hudson (AR) 6-1, 6-1
2. Fatima Bizhukova (WSU) def. #64 Ana Oparenovic (AR) 6-4, 6-1
3. #111 Léolia Jeanjean (AR) def. Tanaporn Thongsing (WSU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Giulia Pairone (AR) def. Gabriela Porubin (WSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Mia Jurasic (AR) vs. Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU) 6-3, 5-2, unfinished
6. Natsuho Arakawa (AR) def. Marta Bellucco (WSU) 6-1, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. #84 Gabriela Porubin/Fatima Bizhukova (WSU) def. #28 Giulia Pairone/Léolia Jeanjean (AR) 6-4
2. Ana Oparenovic/Mia Jurasic (AR) def. Tanaporn Thongsing/Ting-Ya Hsu (WSU) 7-5
3. Natsuho Arakawa/Shannon Hudson (AR) def. Marta Bellucco/Giulia Guidetti (WSU) 6-3

Match Notes:
Wichita State 18-9, 7-0 MVC
Arkansas 18-9, 7-6 SEC; National ranking #19
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (1,6,4,2,3)
T-2:37 A-120