The Southern Arkansas men’s and women’s tennis teams return to action on Wednesday in Searcy for a 2 p.m. Great American Conference match with Harding. The Muleriders knocked off the Bisons 6-1 on February 27 in Arkadelphia, while the Lady Muleriders will look to avenge a 5-2 loss to the Lady Bisons.
Over the weekend and following a two-week layoff, the nationally-ranked Muleriders dismissed Oklahoma Baptist 7-0 in the squad’s MIAA-GAC opener and the Lady Muleriders picked up their fourth-straight win and improved to 3-0 in GAC play with a 6-1 handling of the Bison women.
The Muleriders (7-3, 1-0 MIAA-GAC), who were in action for the first time since March 8, bounced back from a pair of losses to nationally-ranked opposition as they opened the contest by claiming the doubles point before making quick work of their GAC foe in singles action. SAU won in straight sets at all six singles lines.
The doubles team of Marko Nikoliuk and Yuri Gondouin won for the eighth time as a pair this campaign, while Gabriel Breitenmoser and Ole Lukas Valkyser picked up their seventh such victory in 2021.
Sander Jans earned his first win at No. 1 this season and improved his overall singles record to 8-1. Valkyser earned his fifth win at No. 4 for SAU this spring and ran his overall win-loss singles ledger to 8-2.
The Lady Muleriders (5-7, 3-0 GAC), returned to the court for the first time since defeating both Henderson State and Ouachita in 6-1 decisions on March 11. SAU earned their fourth-straight win, all of which have come by a score of 6-1.
Southern Arkansas claimed the doubles point which saw the sophomore pair of Angela Vargas and Lena Milosevic outlast Lin Xin Tan and Jenna Noel 7-6 (3). Freshman Kalley Smith did not drop a single set as she paired up with Sarah Roy to win at No. 2 doubles, before beating Clark at No. 6 singles 6-0, 6-0.
Collegiate rookie Honoka Yoshimura remained unbeaten on the season at 9-0, while Vargas won for the seventh time this season in singles play.