NATCHITOCHES – After a two hour weather delay, the Northwestern State tennis team rallied back from an early deficit, but ultimately fell 4-3 to Central Arkansas on Saturday afternoon at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.
Locked in another tight match, NSU's (7-4) defeat to UCA (6-6) came down to the final court with Klevisar on court No. 1.
With the match tied at 3-3, Klevisar won six straight games to take the first set 6-3 before she fell 6-4 to UCA's Vichitraporn Vimuktananda.
The third set was close, each girl going game for game, sending it into a tiebreaker.
UCA came out on top with a 12-10 tiebreaker in the third to win the match.
To start off the contest, UCA's Nanoka Kazama and Harune Shigemasu took court No.2 in doubles with a 6-3 defeat against Ayu Ishibashi and Maria Farina.
The Lady Demons tied for the doubles point on No. 3, with Sofi Garcia and Maria Farina.
Garcia and Farina put up six straight games to defeat UCA 6-2.
Doubles pairing Tjasa Klevisar and Sara Erenda started off slow dropping 3-0 before mounting a comeback on No.1.
Klevisar and Erenda fell in a tiebreaker 8-6.
Farina put NSU on the board with a dominant 6-0 straight set wins on No. 5.
Umeda led the first set 4-3 before pulling away, 6-3. In the second set she only allowed one game.
Garcia fell 6-2 in the first before winning sets two and three to give NSU a 3-2 lead.
Central Arkansas came back with a win on No. 3 against Erenda.
In the match, Erenda fought back from being down 5-2 in the first set, winning five straight games to take the first set 7-5. She fell in the bottom two sets 6-3, 6-2.
The Lady Demons welcome former Southland Conference opponent, Stephen F. Austin, tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Stephen F. Austin (8-3) is coming off a 4-3 win against SLC opponent Incarnate Word.
NSU will be back at home March 16 as they host Loyola (N.O.) for their last scheduled home match of the season.
Northwestern State v. Central Arkansas
March 9, 2024, Natchitoches, La.
Jack Fisher Tennis Complex
UCA 4, NSU 3
Singles:
1. Vichitraporn Vimuktananda (UCA) def. Tjasa Klevisar (NSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (12-10)
2. Nanoka Kazama (UCA) def. Ayu Ishibashi (NSU) 2-2 RETIRED
3. Sumomo Hamanaga (UCA) def. Sara Eredna (NSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
4. Sofi Garcia (NSU) def. Konomi Miyakawa (UCA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
5. Maria Farina (NSU) def. Ting-An Chen (UCA) 6-0, 6-0
6. Honoka Umeda (NSU) def. Harune Shingemasu (UCA) 6-4, 6-1
Order of finish: 2, 5, 6, 4, 3, 1
Doubles:
1. Vichitraporn Vimuktananda/Sumomo Hamanaga (UCA) def. Tjasa Klevisar/Sara Erenda (NSU) 7-6 (8-6)
2. Nanoka Kazama/Harune Shigemasu (UCA) def. Ayu Ishibashi/Honoka Umeda (NSU) 6-3
3. Sofi Garcia/Maria Farina (NSU) def. Konoka Miyakawa/Ting-An Chen (UCA) 6-2
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
