BEAUMONT, Texas – The Central Arkansas tennis team continued to sizzle late Sunday afternoon as they narrowly defeated the Texas A&M – Corpus Christi Islanders (11-3, 1-1 SLC) 4-3 for their sixth straight win. The win marked the fourth straight year that the Bears (8-5, 2-0 SLC) have started SLC play with a perfect 2-0 record.
 
Through the winning streak, Central Arkansas has outscored its opponents 29-10 and taken every doubles point.
 
UCA 4, ISLANDERS 3
 
SINGLES – Leading 1-0 after a convincing doubles performance, junior Yada Vasupongchai got the fun started at the No. 4 as she swept freshman Victoire Delattre 6-3, 6-2 to make it 2-0. After sophomore Fuka Nonoyama took court No. 2 7-6, 6-0 to improve to 8-2 and cushion the lead at 3-0, the Islanders stormed back with sweeps at courts 5 and 3 to put the pressure on the Bears. All eyes turned to the top court as sophomores Chunxi Xin and Mariya Shumeika were dueling with individual four-game winning streaks on the line. After both sides claimed a set, Xin was able to pull away in set three and clinch the impressive win for the Bears. The reigning SLC Freshman of the Year improved to 7-3 at the top spot with the win.
 
DOUBLES – Xin and Nonoyama continued to shine together as they defeated the Islanders' top pairing in junior Kei Kato and freshman Emma Honore 6-1 to start the match. After the top pairing claimed their ninth straight win at the top spot, sophomore Mei Ishimura and freshman Paulina Engback gritted their way to a 6-4 win at the third court to secure the crucial 1-0 lead.
 
UP NEXT
 
After eight straight on the road, the Bears will finally return to the UCA Tennis Courts next weekend with a pair of matches against the New Orleans Privateers and Nicholls Colonels.  

Singles Results
1. Chunxi Xin (UCA) def. Mariya Shumeika (AMCC) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
2. Fuka Nonoyama (UCA) def. Camille Townsend (AMCC) 7-6, 6-0
3. Kei Kato (AMCC) def. Maja Gledic (UCA) 7-5, 6-1
4. Yada Vasupongchai (UCA) def. Victoire Delattre (AMCC) 6-3, 6-2
5. Emma Honore (AMCC) def. Mei Ishimura (UCA) 6-1, 6-3
6. Maria Maldonado (AMCC) def. Jaeun Lee (UCA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2

Doubles Results
1. Fuka Nonoyama/Chunxi Xin (UCA) def. Emma Honore/Kei Kato (AMCC) 6-1
2. Camille Townsend/Mariya Shumeika (AMCC) vs. Yada Vasupongchai/Maja Gledic (UCA) unfinished
3. Paulina Engback/Mei Ishimura (UCA) def. Maria Maldonado/Jordan Ortega-Mendez (AMCC) 6-4