UCA Bears Battle Kats Saturday
3/23/2018 3:14:00 PM | Women's Tennis
MATCH 13
Saturday, March 24 • Huntsville, Texas • 1:00 p.m.
McAdams Tennis Center
Sam Houston (8-4, 3-2) vs. Central Arkansas (9-2, 2-0)
HUNTSVILLE – A month into the 2018 Southland Conference women's tennis race, three teams remain unbeaten in league action. One of that trio visits the McAdams Tennis Center on the Sam Houston campus Saturday afternoon.
Central Arkansas comes to town with a pair of Southland victories, having defeated Abilene Christian 4-3 and Incarnate Word 5-2. The Bears own a 9-2 overall record that includes wins over Oral Roberts, UTSA, Missouri State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Austin Peay.
“Once again we're taking on one of the top teams in the league. This is a big one,” Bearkat head coach Rob Hubbard said. “They're one of the two teams that placed second in last year's final standings and they're coming in here with an axe to grind after we beat them on their home court in 2017.”
Northwestern State (6-0) and A&M-Corpus Christi (3-0) are the league's other two unbeaten teams. The Demons and the Islanders are responsible for the Bearkats' two Southland losses. Both were 4-3 decisions that came on the road. Sam Houston's league wins include a 4-3 win over Abilene Christian in the Kats' last home match and road victories over Stephen F. Austin and Incarnate Word.
Strong play in singles has been the team's strength this spring. Overall in dual match singles, the Berakats stand 47-24 for a 66.2 winning percentage. Sophomore Lusine Chobanyan stands 10-1 in singles while seniors Fabienne Gettwart and Carrie Casey and freshman Sahaja Yamalapalli each own 9-3 records.
Yamalapalli remains unbeaten in Southland action with a 5-0 record. Chobanyan and Gettwart both are 4-1 in league play. Casey has three SLC wins to her credit while seniors Mila Milanovic and Khee Yen Wee each have won two conference contests.
The UCA match is the lone outing for the Bearkats this weekend. Sam Houston returns home on Saturday, March 31, to play host to Lamar University. In other Southland Conference action this weekend Abilene Christian makes the New Orleans / Southeastern Louisiana swing; A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word both take on McNeese and Nicholls and Northwestern State duels Stephen F. Austin.
ALL-TIME SERIES WITH CENTRAL ARKANSAS
Overall, Sam Houston holds an 8-3 record against Central Arkansas since the series began in 2007 with UCA's entry into the Southland Conference. But the Bears program has improved by leaps and bounds during the past four seasons. Last year's 5-2 Bearkat victory in Conway ended a three-year drought as UCA won over Sam Houston in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
