HOUSTON, Texas – Central Arkansas was blanked in its first day of action at the Third Coast College Classic. UCA dropped the morning match to the host Houston Christian and then the afternoon matchup against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
UCA 0 Houston Christian 5
Seniors Evelyn Griffith and Julia Oravec showed off their experience, pushing their match to three sets, but were unable to take down the No. 3 doubles team of Harris and Kleymeyer for HCU. Bria Garmon and Ryenne Gepford fought hard in the first set with the No. 1 pairing of Butters and Stanfil, but were upended in the second set.
Charlie Tidwell and Madelyn White had another close try in the first set with the No. 5 team for HCU, but once again, Alper and Griffith took the match in two sets. The loss now drops UCA to 2-8 all-time against the Huskies.
UCA 0 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 5
The afternoon set was another tough one for the Bears. While they battled, the Bears were unable to take a set against Texas A&M-CC, who was a tournament team in 2022. Kayla Cook and Payton Sproule got within 21-18 of the No. 4 team of Doyle and Frenandes De Melo for the Islanders, but ultimately they fell 21-14 in the second set. Marissa Gilmore and Anna Linskey battled, but ultimately fell to Bennett and Johnson, the No. 3 squad for Texas A&M-CC, 21-16 and 21-15.
The first day of action in the 2023 Spring season saw UCA fall to 0-2, and will have to battle to get a victory over some tough competition tomorrow. The loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi drops the Bears to 3-4 all-time against the Islanders.
UCA will be back in action Sunday, February 26th at 8:00 a.m. against the UAB Blazers. Then at 2:00 p.m., they will take on the TCU Horned Frogs.
