New Orleans, La. – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears continued Southland Conference play on Sunday, taking on the Privateers on the University of New Orleans. The Sugar Bears and the Privateers found themselves in a hotly contested match, with UNO eventually coming out victorious by a score of 4-3.

Central Arkansas (7-5, 2-3 SLC) took an early lead thanks to a win in doubles play. Nataly Yoo and Amiru Shimoguchi gave the Sugar Bears an edge with a 6-4 win over Anja Luethi and Trang Dao in the no. 1 match, while UNO (8-1, 4-0 SLC)evened up doubles play as Soldad Calderon and Anna Segarra Rius defeated Xylia Chunan Xiang and Marli Van Heerden by a score of 6-2 in the no. 2 match. QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat gave UCA the point, winning the no. 3 match 6-3 over Hafsa Laraii and Yasmine Rashad.

The Sugar Bears were unable to hold the lead in singles play, taking just two of the five matches that were completed, and losing another due to retirement. Xiang fell to Calderon in the no. 2 match 6-3, 6-4, while Ma dropped a hard-fought no. 4 match to Dao by a score of 6-4, 2-6, 7-5. Manataweewat lost the no. 6 match 7-5, 6-2 to Laraibi. The no. 1 match between Yoo and Rius went to the Privateers when Yoo was forced to retire in the second set.

Van Heerden moved to 6-5 on the season, taking the no. 5 match 7-5, 6-3 from Rashad, while Shimoguchi continued her impressive year, improving to 10-2 with a come-from-behind 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over Luethi in the no. 3 match.

Central Arkansas returns to the UCA Tennis Courts for an SLC match-up next Sunday, March 13^th. The Sugar Bears will take on Nicholls at 11:00 AM.