CONWAY, Ark. – It has become the common theme for the Lamar University women's tennis team this season. For the second time, the Cardinals have entered a match against the Southland leaders, and also for the second time LU has pulled the upset. Big Red defeated Central Arkansas, 5-2, Sunday in Conway beating knocking the Sugar Bears out of first place.
After a relatively easy point for the Sugar Bears in doubles, the match became anything but easy. Singles consisted of a victory by default and four of the five remaining matches going to third set. The only court that didn't go to a third set had to go to a tiebreaker before being decided.
"The only way I can think to describe today was a dogfight," said LU head coach
David Wong. "Four singles matches went to a third set and we were able to get the victory in each of those matches, despite dropping the opening set in two of them. We really stepped up to the pressure today.
"You really have to give credit to UCA. They were a banged up coming into the match but that didn't slow them down. They fought hard on every court," added Wong.
Things were not quite as positive at the start of the match. UCA had little trouble picking up the doubles point with victories at No. 2 and 3 doubles. The Sugar Bears posted scores of 6-3 and 6-0 on those courts for the point, while LU managed at 6-2 decision on court one.
The Cardinals tied the match after UCA was forced to default on court six due to an injury. The tied score didn't last long as the Sugar Bears' QiLi Ma responded with a long two-set victory on court No. 3. Ma defeated freshman
Jasmin Buchta in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-5), in the opening set for the early lead. Buchta was unable to recover in the second set dropping a 6-2 decision.
The back-and-forth nature of the match continued as freshman
Sanja Jolic responded tying the match at two. Jolic defeated UCA's Amiru Shimoguchi, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, on court four.
The Red and White needed two more points to secure the victory but the final three remaining matches were all headed to a third set. LU took its first lead of the day when senior
Katya Lapayeva got a win on court No. 1. The native of Belarus took an opening set lead after posting a 6-3 decision over the Sugar Bears' Pornpawee Pramethong, but the match was far from over. It went to a third set where Lapayeva posted a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, score for the victory.
After taking the lead the Cardinals never looked back taking the final two courts. Seniors
Talisa Merchiers and
Anna Spengler closed out the match with victories on courts five and two, respectively.
The Cardinals return to action Wednesday when they travel to Lafayette, La., for a makeup match against Northwestern State. The match against the Demons was originally slated to be played in Beaumont before being rained out. The match will begin at 10 a.m.
-LU CARDINALS-
