SPRINGFIELD – Things were looking bleak for Missouri State women's tennis (3-2) until MSU stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to clinch the win in Sunday afternoon's dual here against Central Arkansas (3-4), 4-3. 

"I'm really proud of the girls for getting it done today," head coach Ellie Burger said. "After Fridays disappointing match and being down 0-1 from doubles, it was awesome to see 3-6 singles take care of business. I'm looking forward to Friday's match against ORU."

The dual began with a pair of 6-1 victories in doubles in flights two and three, with both schools taking one match. The tandem of Juliette Robinson/Sandra Lukacova secured the win in No. 3 doubles over UCA's Jaeun Lee and Nicole Ross, while the visiting team's Konomi Miyakawa and Vichitraporn Vimuktananda earned the victory in the No. 2 slot by defeating the duo of Diana Cabrera and Alyson Piskulic. 

The doubles point was decided by a close contest in flight one. UCA's Sumomo Hamanaga and Nanoka Kazama narrowly defeated Mary Houston and Tiera Jarmond, 7-6 (5) to put the visiting Bears ahead, 1-0. 

To begin singles action, UCA's Vimuktananda defeated MSU's Houston, 6-0, 6-2 in the No. 2 position. MoState responded with its first victory of the day, a 6-4, 7-6 (1) defeat of UCA's  Hamanaga by Robinson. However, UCA's Lee took down Cabrera, 6-4, 6-1, in No. 1 singles, and MSU found itself in a 3-1 hole with only flights 4-6 remaining.
 

In response, Lukacova took care of business against UCA's Miyakawa, 6-3, 7-5 in the No. 4 slot, while Silva Avakian did her part in the No. 6 position, defeating UCA's Ting-An Chen, 6-4, 6-2, to tie the dual at 3-3. 

It all came down to Piskulic's No. 5 singles match. The only three-setter of the day, a double-fault by UCA's Nanoka Kazama clinched the match for the senior, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, and the dual for MSU in cardiac fashion. 

Missouri State returns to Cooper Tennis Complex on Friday, Feb. 17, at 12 p.m. for a dual against Oral Roberts. Admission is free. 

Results: 

Doubles 

1 -- Sumomo Hamanaga/Nanoka Kazama (UCA) def. Mary Houston/Tiera Jarmond (MSU), 7-6 (5) 

2 -- Konomi Miyakawa/Vichitraporn Vimuktananda (UCA) def. Diana Cabrera/Alyson Piskulic (MSU), 6-1 

3 – Sandra Lukacova/Juliette Robinson (MSU) def. Jaeun Lee/Nicole Ross (UCA), 6-1 

Order of finish – 3,2,1

Singles 

1 – Jaeun Lee (UCA) def. Diana Cabrera (MSU), 6-4, 6-1 

2 – Vichitraporn Vimuktananda (UCA) def. Mary Houston (MSU), 6-0, 6-2 

3 – Juliette Robinson (MSU) def. Sumomo Hamanaga (UCA), 6-4, 7-6 (1) 

4 – Sandra Lukacova (MSU) def. Konomi Miyakawa (UCA), 6-3, 7-5 

5 – Alyson Piskulic (MSU) def. Nanoka Kazama (UCA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 

6 – Silva Avakian (MSU) def. Ting-An Chen (UCA), 6-4, 6-2 

Order of finish – 2,3,1,4,6,5

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