RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The University of Central Arkansas tennis program earned a nice mid-week win against an in-state foe in Arkansas Tech on Wednesday afternoon. UCA was able to rest a few of its more experienced players while still picking up a road victory to take its record to 3-2 on the year.
UCA opened the match with a sweep of doubles play, with the pair of Sumomo Hamanaga and the freshman Seohyun Park leading the way with a 6-2 win, followed by the pairs of Konomi Miyakawa and Harune Shigemasu as well as Nanoka Kazama and Vichitraporn Vimuktananda getting key victories to secure the early point.
Kazama got her first crack at the No. 1 singles spot this season and came up just short against the No. 1 singles player for the Golden Suns, losing in a close third set. Hamanaga in turn got a shot at the No. 2 slot Wednesday afternoon, losing 6-1 in the first set before making it close in the second set, 7-5. Shigemasu led off singles play for the Bears, taking her first win from the No. 5 spot this season. Later, it was Park seeing her first action on the young season and earning her first win of her career in the No 6 spot, a win that would seal the victory for UCA.
The Bears will head to Omaha this weekend to take on Creighton on Friday, February 9th at 12:30 p.m. and Omaha on Saturday, February 10th at 1:30 p.m.
UCA 5 – Arkansas Tech 2
Doubles:
Kazama / Vimuktananda vs. Amil/Beggiatto 6-4
Miyakawa / Shigemasu vs. Balau/Griffiths 6-4
Hamanaga / Park vs. Butler/Dvorakova 6-2
Singles:
Kazama vs. Amil 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
Hamanaga vs. Balau 6-1, 7-5
Miyakawa vs. Gergel 6-1, 7-5
Ting-An Chen vs. Beggiatto 6-2, 4-6, 10-2
Shigemasu vs. Dvorakova 6-3, 6-3
Park vs. Krite 6-1, 7-5
