CONWAY, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas Tennis program returned home to the UCA Tennis Courts on Thursday morning to face another ASUN foe in Austin Peay. While the Bears showed great fight, the Governors took the match, 5-2.
The loss drops UCA to 10-9 on the year and takes their ASUN record to 3-4, with an opportunity to get back to .500 Saturday against Lipscomb. In doubles play, UCA nearly made a comeback, but were unable to grab an early point that could have swung things in its favor. UCA dropped the first two doubles matches, but Vichitraporn Vimuktananda and Nanoka Kazama did battle all the way back to take the third set, and salvage some momentum before singles play.
UCA did get a big boost from Vimuktananda, who grinded out a win over Denise Torrealba. The true freshman from Phitsanulok, Thailand has truly settled into the No. 2 slot for the Bears and has been reliable for much of the season. UCA also got another point on the board thanks to another freshman, this time it was Konomi Miyakawa. Miyakawa took down Yu-Ha Cheng in a win that will build confidence in the freshman player. Later, Kazama fought back in the second set after falling behind but was unable to complete the comeback.
UCA will be back in action Saturday, April 8th at 10:00 a.m. against Lipscomb at the UCA Tennis Courts.
UCA 2 – APSU 5
Doubles:
Nanoka Kazama / Vichitraporn Vimuktananda vs. Hefti/Leder 7-6
Sumomo Hamanaga / Konomi Miyakawa vs. Torrealba/Baranov 6-1
Jaeun Lee / Nicole Ross vs. Fontana/Cheng 6-2
Singles:
Lee vs. Leder 6-2, 6-3
Vimuktananda vs. Torrealba 7-5, 7-5
Kazama vs. Hefti 6-2, 7-6
Hamanaga vs. Baranov 6-4, 6-2
Miyakawa vs. Cheng 7-5, 6-3
Chen vs. Fontana 6-3, 6-1
