NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Privateers (2-1, 2-0) fought back resiliently and rallied from an early deficit to score a 4-3 win over the defending Southland champion Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (7-8, 2-1) on Sunday at the University Tennis Center.
THE STREAK CONTINUES
Ank Vullings continued her winning streak to 18 straight matches in singles while also playing the deciding point. She faced Chunxi Xin again and the match again went three sets. Vullings won the first set but Xin came back and gutted through a tiebreak in the second.
In the deciding set though, Vullings set the tone and wound up winning by a double break to take the match 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Vullings also defeated Xin in three sets last season.
THE LEAD UP
Central Arkansas started the day with the first two points. After the first two flights of doubles were split, Maja Gledic and Jaeun Lee won 7-5 at flight three to earn the doubles point for the visitors. Lee then was the first off court with a victory at flight four.
Salma Abdelrahim and
Lina Hohnhold helped the Privateers get back on level terms. Abdelrahim, who was moved up a spot to flight five, won 6-3, 6-3 over Gledic. Then Hohnhold rallied back from down a set to a 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 win.
Yada Vasupongchai fought through a tough three-set match to give Central Arkansas the lead back 3-2. The Privateers' final surge before Vullings though came from
Lea Alguacil who did not lose a game in the third set of her win at flight six.
FROM COACH KANGA
"It was a great win for our program and we beat a very good Central Arkansas team. I couldn't be more proud of this team. They kept their composure, maintained focus and they have a great fight. At the end of the day I couldn't be happier for this team and I think this sends a message to the conference that we're to be reckoned with.
We still have to keep working hard and improving. We're playing good tennis, we have depth and that's the key to our current success. We executed the game plan really well today."
NOTES
This was the second time the Privateers defeated Central Arkansas since joining the conference. It was also the first win in the last five matches against the Sugar Bears.
NEXT UP
The Privateers hit the road for two matches next week against Abilene Christian (Friday, Mar. 12) and UIW (Sunday, Mar. 14).
