Conway –The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears continued the best start in program history on Sunday, picking up a pair of wins. The Sugar Bears opened the day by earning their first Southland Conference win of the season, 4-3 over Abilene Christian, before taking down in-state opponent Arkansas State 5-2 in the afternoon.

 Against the Wildcats (7-4, 0-1 SLC), Central Arkansas (11-1, 1-0 SLC) took an early lead by securing the doubles point. Amiru Shimoguchi and Pornpawee Pramethong took the no.1 match 6-1 over Erin Walker and Sarah Adams, before Marli Van Heerden and Hee-Jin Oh teamed to win the no. 3 match 6-1 over Ansley Boarman and Jordan Henry. QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat dropped the no. 2 match 6-4 to Whitney Williams and Lucile Pothier.

The doubles point would prove to be the difference-maker, as the Sugar Bears and Wildcats would split the six singles matches, with all six going to a third set. Shimoguchi pushed the UCA lead to 2-0 with a 6-3, 1-6, 7-5 win over Adams in the no. 4 match, before Manataweewat made it 3-0 with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) over Boarman at the no. 6 position. ACU battled back to cut the UCA lead to 4-2 with wins at the nos. 1 and 3 positions but Van Heerden secured the victory by taking down Henry 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the no. 5 match.

Central Arkansas again staked out an early lead against the Red Wolves, with Shimoguchi and Pramethong defeating Julie Gaugery and Shannon O'Brien 6-3 at the no. 1 position and Van Heerden and Oh earning a 6-3 win over Tori Roberts and Allison Quammen at the no. 3 slot.

Sabina Jeresic evened the match at 1-1 early in singles play, as Oh was forced to retire, but Shimoguchi retook the lead for the Sugar Bears with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Victoria Pisani in the no. 4 match. Van Heerden extend the lead to 3-1 by defeating Roberts 6-1, 6-1 at the no. 5 slot, before Gaugery earned a 6-3, 6-4 win over Pramethong at the no. 1 spot. Manataweewat secured the win with a 6-4, 7-5 defeat of Quammen in the no. 6 match, and Ma picked up a 6-0, 7-6 (4-0) win over O'Brien in the no. 4 match.

"All the hard work that we have put in since the fall, all of the exhausting workouts and long practices; that's what today came down to," said UCA head coach Casey Wharton. "Not necessarily playing our best tennis, but putting the best version of yourself out there physically, mentally, and emotionally. Fighting for every point, looking at your teammates and seeing each one fighting their own individual battle, but at the end of the day we fight together as a family. And that's what today came down to: fighting as a family."

Central Arkansas plays a pair of matches on the road next weekend. The Sugar Bears will take on SLC foe Incarnate Word at 11:00 AM on Saturday, before squaring off with
former SLC member UTSA at 11:00 AM on Sunday.