Conway – The Central Arkansas women's tennis team took the court for the first official match of the 2018 season on Saturday afternoon, heading to Columbia, Missouri to take on the Missouri Tigers. The Sugar Bears would take the loss on the day, falling to the Tigers 6-1.

Central Arkansas (0-1) was unable to get anything going in doubles play, with Mizzou (2-0) sweeping all three matches for a 1-0 lead. Amiru Shimoguchi and Chunan Xiang dropped the number two match 2-6 to Amina Ismail and Taylor Gruber, before QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat dropped a 3-6 decision to Ellie Wright and Mackenzie Middlebrooks in the number three match. Pornpawee Pramethong and Marli Van Heerden fell in the number one tilt by a tally of 2-6 to Serena Nash and Clare Raley.

The Tigers continued to control the match early in the singles portion, as Shimoguchi lost the number four match 2-6, 1-6 6 to Ismail and Pramethong fell to Nash 2-6, 5-7 in the number one match. Hee-Jin Oh was taken out by Middlebrooks 3-6, 1-6 in the number three match, and Xiang dropped a hard-fought 1-6, 6-2, 2-6 decision to Wright in the number two match, before Van Heerden got the Sugar Bears on the board with a 1-6, 6-1, (10-7) win over Raley in the number five match. Manatwaweewat would fall to Gruber 4-6, 2-6 in the number six match to close out the day.

Central Arkansas returns to action tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM, taking on Southeast Missouri State.