NORMAN, Okla. – The Central Arkansas tennis team enjoyed a weekend full of wins against quality opponents as they competed in the 2019 ITA Regional Championships in Norman, Oklahoma as part of the central region. Central Arkansas was represented well as three singles players made it to the Round of 64 and two doubles pairs advanced to the Round of 32.
 
QUALIFYING ROUND – OCT. 17
 

• Freshman Maja Gledic advanced to the Main Draw after taking two wins in the singles qualifying round. Gledic began the day with a win over Claire Slaughter of Arkansas 6-2, 6-2 and made the Round of 128 with a win over Lara Tupper of Saint Louis 6-1, 6-1.
• Sophomore Mei Ishimura played well in the qualifying round as she got back-to-back wins over opponents from Nebraska-Omaha and Dayton. Her first win came against Emily Behling (6-4, 6-2) and she joined Gledic in the Round of 128 after defeating Carman Palumbo of Dayton 6-3, 6-2.
• Junior Yada Vasupongchai replicated her teammates' success by sweeping both her opponents to advance to the Round of 128. Her first win came against Alana Bourgeois of Saint Louis 6-0, 6-2 and later defeated Andrea Jannson of North Dakota 6-2, 6-2.

 
MAIN DRAW – OCT. 18
 

• Sophomore Fuka Nonoyama fared well in round one as she handled Ting-Per Chang of Iowa State 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the Round of 64. She eventually fell to Vasiliki Karvouni of Kansas 6-3, 6-1. Karvouni proved to be one of the best of the region as her day ended in the Round of 16.
• Ishimura carried her momentum from the qualifying round into the main draw as she defeated Kate Krueger of Creighton 7-5, 6-2 to win her third straight match of the event. She later faced her toughest opponent yet in Bunyawi Thamchaiwat of Oklahoma State and fell 6-0, 6-1 to end her run. Thamchaiwat won her next two matches before falling in the quarterfinals.
• Gledic also fared well in the first round as she swept Elli Kuckelman of Nebraska 6-3, 6-2 before falling to Martina Capurro of Oklahoma 6-0, 6-1 in the Round of 64. Capurro was the greatest talent the Bears faced as she fell in the semifinals 2-1.

 
MAIN DRAW DOUBLES – OCT. 18
 

• The freshman/sophomore pairing of Engback and Ishimura defeated a pairing from Bradley 8-6 before falling to a duo from Tulsa in the Round of 32. The pair from Tulsa was serious competition as they fell in the quarterfinals 8-5.
• Nonoyama and Gledic teamed up and took down a pairing from Oral Roberts 8-2 before falling to a pairing from Oklahoma 8-4 in the Round of 32. That same pairing proved one of the best double duos of the weekend as they reached the semifinals before falling 2-6, 6-0, 1-0 [3].

 
CONSOLATION MATCHES – OCT. 19-20
 

• Freshman Chunxi Xin fell in the first round of the main draw but stayed composed and picked up two impressive wins against Minnesota.
• Vasupongchai found herself in a very similar role as Xin as she fell in the first round of the main draw and then faced a Minnesota opponent in the consolation bracket. Like Xin, Vasupongchai defeated her UM opponent in a tight battle, 2-6, 7-6 [3], 1-0 [5].
• Nonoyama followed her two teammates in the win department as she defeated Ashley Jacobs of Iowa 7-5, 6-3 on October 19.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Bears will enjoy next weekend off before heading to Oklahoma to compete in the Tulsa Fall Regionals November 1-3.