NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana – The Central Arkansas Bears tennis team officially opened fall schedule play over the weekend as they traveled to Natchitoches, Louisiana to compete in the Northwestern State Lady Demon Collegiate Invitational on September 13 and 14. The Bears returned to the courts for the first time since their historical 2019 spring campaign that saw a 20-8 record, Southland Conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance. The team welcomed some change on roster as three seniors departed for graduation and three freshmen were brought in.
 
RESULTS FROM THE WEEKEND
 
Besides the host Lady Demons team, the Bears competed against five other schools in a two-day tournament that took place on the campus courts and city courts within Natchitoches. Players were split up into five different pools of singles play and two pools of doubles play.
 
Central Arkansas did not appear to have much rust after the offseason as they had representatives in three of the five singles championship matches and in one of the two doubles championship matches.
 

• In the "Purple" singles bracket, sophomore Chunxi Xin defeated her own teammate sophomore Fuka Nonoyama 6-2, 6-0 as both proved to be the most talented of the bracket.

 

• In the "White" bracket, sophomore Mei Ishimura defeated Northwestern State's own Mariella Minetti 6-4, 2-6, 10-2 in the championship match.

 

• In the "Orange" bracket, freshman Maja Gledic defeated senior talent Ela Iwaniuk of Northwestern State 7-5, 6-0.

 

• In the "Purple" doubles bracket, there was almost another duel of Bears in the championship as Xin and Ishimura competed against Southeastern Louisiana in the semifinals while Nonoyama and junior Yada Vasupongchai competed against Northwestern State. The potential friendly final did not occur though as Xin and Ishimura fell while Nonoyama and Vasupongchai advanced. The latter pairing faced the pairing from SLU in the championship and fell 6-4.

 

• In the "White" doubles bracket, Gledic and freshman Paulina Engback defeated a different pairing from SLU 6-1 and eventually took fifth place in the bracket.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Bears will continue fall play this weekend at home as hosts of the UCA Fall Invitational. The tournament is set to kick off on the UCA Tennis Courts on Friday morning.