Conway – The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears returned to action at the UCA Tennis Courts on Saturday, hosting the McNeese State Cowgirls. For the second time in as many days, the Sugar Bears found themselves on the wrong end of a closely fought decision, falling to the Cowgirls 4-3.

For just the second time this season, Central Arkansas (10-4, 3-3 SLC) was unable to secure the doubles point, despite Chunan Xiang and Amiru Shimoguchi taking the number two match 6-4 over Giovanna Fiorett and Marjia Mastilovic. McNeese (12-2, 7-1 SLC) would get a 6-4 win from Sarah Jurakova and Hannah Brett at the number one to even things up, before Charoline Erlandsson and Phonexay Chitdara handed QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat their second defeat of the season by taking the number three match 7-6 (8).

Pornpawee Pramethong got the point back for Central Arkansas with a 6-2, 6-4 win of Fioretti at the number one slot, but Jurakova dispatched Xiang 6-1, 6-1 at the number two to put the Cowgirls back in front. Erlandsson would defeat Shimoguchi 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the number five contest to force match point for McNeese, Hee-Jin Oh answered the call for Central Arkansas with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 defeat of Brett at the number three and Marli Van Heerden would do the same with a 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Chitdara at number five to even the match at 3-3. With the wins, Oh moves to 10-4 on the season and Van Heerden remains perfect at 12-0.

With both sides watching, Ma and Mastilovic delivered a stunner at number four, with Ma taking the first set 6-4, and Mastilovic rebounding with a 7-6 win in the second to force a decisive third set. Mastilovic would take that set, 6-4, to secure the victory, and a spot in the Southland Conference Tournament, for the Cowgirls.

The Sugar Bears hit the road for a pair of SLC matches next weekend, traveling to New Orleans, Louisiana to take on New Orleans at 12:00 PM on Saturday before heading to Hammond, Louisiana for a match at Southeastern Louisiana at 11:00 AM on Sunday.