STILLWATER, Okla. – On Wednesday afternoon, the Central Arkansas tennis team loaded up on a charter bus that has been used by Beyoncé's traveling crew. All seven players that each played a part in getting their team to the NCAA Tournament examined every inch of the bus as they could not believe what they were traveling in. Head Coach Casey Wharton sat down on a leather couch with a HD TV mounted on the wall in front of him and felt like it was all a dream.
Before this trip, Wharton was used to driving his team to matches in vans that were as ordinary as they come. His team would pack up and leave without anyone noticing. On Wednesday though, his team was sent off by the UCA faithful that escaped work to show up at the 1 p.m. departure time. Coaches from various sports were there to support fellow coach Wharton in his first ever trip to the big dance.
After two days of practicing on both the outdoor and indoor courts, the Bears are ready for what lies in front of them today. They are about to face a Cowgirls squad that was named No. 10 in the nation on April 24, but to them it is just another match. Ever since the Bears arrived in Stillwater, the team has been all smiles and all joy. Oklahoma State will be in their eighth straight NCAA Tournament while the Bears will be in their first. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Bears with hopes that it turns into a regular yearly thing. The team knows just how special this trip truly is.
With all of that being said, I wanted to offer a true game preview for today's match. Thunder storms are scheduled to arrive at 1 p.m. and stay until the evening. The Bears will likely play on the indoor courts, where they have performed well in the regular season. They will enter the match as underdogs, but that does not really mean much in tennis. As Wharton said on Monday, the courts are still courts and tennis will still be tennis. All that matters is how well they will perform in this new environment.
SINGLES PREVIEW
The seven Cowigrls players will enter the match with a combined 127-49 record in singles play. Four were named to the All-Big 12 teams. Below are the projected matchups based on both Central Arkansas and Oklahoma State's last match.
At No. 1, Chunxi Xin vs. Katarina Stresnakova
The SLC Freshman of the Year will face her toughest challenge yet when she meets senior Stresnakova on court one. Stresnakova was named to the All-Big 12 First Team and has multiple wins against ranked opponents. She will carry an overall record of 22-12 into the match and an 8-8 record at the No. 1. Xin has enjoyed success at the No. 1, flashing a 12-3 record there while winning nine of her last 10. If nothing else, this will be great experience for the freshman star.
At No. 2, Fuka Nonoyama vs Lisa Marie Rioux
Junior Rioux enters the match with the second most singles wins on her team at 23-9. She boasts a 15-3 record at the No. 2 and has won five in a row. She will meet freshman Nonoyama who boasts an impressive 11-2 record at the No. 2. This should be a fun matchup and will also be great experience for young Nonoyama.
At No. 3, Marli Van Heerden vs Bunyawi Thamchaiwat
Senior Van Heerden will meet sophomore Thamchaiwat on the No. 3 court. Thamchaiwat is only +5 over .500 overall but holds a 10-1 record at the No. 3. She has won four in a row and will look to defeat the experienced senior. Van Heerden will put everything on the line in a potential career-ending match, so look for an entertaining battle at the No. 3.
At No. 4, Yada Vasupongchai vs Marina Guinart
The senior Guinart will meet the sophomore Vasupongchai in a battle of the fours. Guinart leads her team in wins with 25 and finished 7-0 in Big 12 play. She is 15-2 at the No. 4 and 8-2 in her last 10. Similar to courts 1 and 2, the opportunity presents solid experience for the sophomore and will help prepare her to be ready to step in a larger role next season.
At No. 5, QiLi Ma vs Sofia Blanco
The No. 5 court will present a fun battle of the seniors. Bianco will enter with an 18-4 record and 14-3 mark at the five. Look for Ma to carry momentum from the SLC Tournament into today's match.
At No. 6, Rada Manataweewat vs Catherine Gulihur
Senior Manataweewat will meet freshman Gulihur on the last court. Gulihur has only played six matches on the No. 6 court, posting a 5-1 record. Manataweewat will look for win No. 10 on the sixth court and show off her veteran experience.
DOUBLES PREVIEW
The Cowgirls will carry a 55-24 doubles record into today's match with the Bears. The No. 1 court will be must-watch as Bianco/Gulihur will take their 12-4 No. 1 record and clash with Van Heerden/Xin's 12-5 No. 1 record.
The Bears will look to win their seventh straight doubles point and a win today would go a long way for the Bears' chances for an upset.
HOW TO WATCH
There will be live video feeds for each court during Friday's match that are accessible to all fans. Along with video, live stats will be available. The links will be tweeted out on the team's twitter account (
@UCATennis) and is also available on the game tab under the UCA Tennis schedule on the website.
Go Bears.
