Carbondale, Ill. – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears returned to action on Saturday afternoon, stepping out of Southland Conference play to take on the Southern Illinois Salukis. After a marathon match that lasted over five hours, the Sugar Bears emerged victorious, taking down the Salukis 4-2.

The Salukis (6-4) grabbed an early lead, as they took the doubles point by winning two of three matches. Nataly Yoo and Amiru Shimoguchi dropped the no. 1 match by a score of 6-2 to Xiwei Cai and Ana Sofia Cordero, while Xylia Chunan Xiang and Marli Van Heerden lost the no. 2 match 6-3 to Vitoria Beirao and Meagan Monaghan. The no. 3 match between QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat and Athena Chrysanthou and Yana Golovkina went unfinished with Chrysanthoua and Golovkina leading 5-4.

Central Arkansas (4-3) rebounded in singles play, winning four of the five completed singles matches to earn the win. Xiang dominated the no. 2 match, taking down Chrysanthou 6-0, 6-1, while Shimoguchi moved to 6-1 on the season with a 7-6, 6-4 win over Cordero in the no. 4 match. Ma won a tightly contested no. 3 match, edging out Monaghan 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, and van Heerden won the no. 5 match in three sets, defeating Golovkina 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Yoo fell in the no. 1 match 6-4, 6-0 to Cai, while the no. 6 match between Manataweewat and Katie Fries went unfinished.

Central Arkansas takes on Arkansas State tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM in Jonesboro.