CONWAY —  Central Arkansas earned a split with Sam Houston State in singles play on Saturday, but dropped two of three in doubles and fell 4-3 to the Bearkats.

After a slow start, freshman Allison Murphy bounced back strong to record a win in No. 2 singles, defeating Sheridan Currie 0-6, 7-5, 6-2. Freshman Kristina Horsikyan knocked of SHSU's Natalie Petaia 7-5, 6-1 in No. 3 singles, and Stephanie Gonzalez Valero swept Olivia Battye 6-3, 6-4.

Sam Houston's Imke Jagau defeated Simona Horsikyan 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 1 singles spot, and Tatyana Postnikova won  6-4, 6-0 over Allison Hartman. Sasha Ruocco took the first set against Nadia Dubyanskaya 6-4, but Dubyanskaya answered by winning the next two 7-5 and 6-4.

The Sugar Bears went 1-2 in doubles play with the team of Simona Horsikyan/Kazumi Otani defeating Petaia/Currie 8-6. Sam Houston won the other two, with Postnikova/Dubyanskaya defeating Hartman/Murphy 8-2; and Imke/Kayla Stevenson knocking off Kristina Horsikyan/Ruocco 8-4.

The Sugar Bears will finish out the home portion of their schedule with three straight home matches next weekend, hosting McNeese State on Friday at 10 a.m., Lamar at Noon on Saturday and UMKC at 10 a.m. on Sunday.