SPRINGFIELD -- Missouri State narrowly missed knocking Central Arkansas from the ranks of the unbeaten Sunday at Cooper Tennis Complex, picking up the doubles point and a pair of singles wins in the top half of the lineup in a 4-3 loss to the Sugar Bears.

"Our doubles today was the best it's been all season," said head coach Mallory Weber after the match. "We had our chances in singles in multiple spots to close this match out. Overall, it's matches like these that build a team's character, and how we respond to this will lay the framework for the rest of the year."

The Bears (4-6) earned the victory in the first two singles match to finish for a 3-0 lead, with freshman Alye Darter picking up her sixth consecutive win, including fifth at the No. 1 spot, and Anelisse Torrico Moreno rallying from a 6-0 loss in the first set to take the next two from Hee-Jin Oh at No. 3 singles.

UCA's (9-0) rally began with a third-set tie-break at No. 2 singles, followed by a pair of straight set victories in the fourth and sixth spots, and capped by a three-set victory at No. 5, winning by a break in the final two sets to take the match.

Missouri State heads to the St. Louis area next week for matches against Saint Louis at 1 p.m. Friday and SIUE at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Match Results:
No. 1 doubles - Ekaterina Donetskova/Fati Khamissi (MSU) def. Marli Van Heerden/Pornpawee Pramethong (UCA) 6-3
No. 2 doubles - Alye Darter/Phoebe Boeschen (MSU) def. QiLi Ma/Rada Manataweewat (UCA) 6-3 
No. 3 doubles - Chunan Xiang/Amiru Shimoguchi (UCA) def. Abbey Belote/Alexia Meyer (MSU) 6-1
Order of finish: 3,1,2

No. 1 singles - Alye Darter (MSU) def. Pornpawee Pramethong (UCA) 6-1, 6-4
No. 2 singles - Chunan Xiang (UCA) def. Fati Khamissi (MSU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1)
No. 3 singles - Anelisse Torrico Moreno (MSU) def. Hee-Jin Oh (UCA) 0-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 singles - QiLi Ma (UCA) def. Phoebe Boeschen (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
No. 5 singles - Amiru Shimoguchi (UCA) def. Ekaterina Donetskova (MSU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
No. 6 singles - Marli Van Heerden (UCA) def. Alexia Meyer (MSU) 6-0, 6-0
Order of finish: 1,3,2,4,6,5