[January 31, 2008]

By: Houston Taylor

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Southern Arkansas opens the team portion of its 2007-08 tennis season Friday in Arkadelphia with two matches. The Lady Muleriders face Henderson State in a non-conference tilt at 2 p.m. before taking on Christian Brothers in a Gulf South Conference match at 7 p.m.

SAU is led this season by Rachel Vinsant, a 5-8 senior from Greenville, Texas, and Megan Phinny, a 5-4 sophomore out of Gladewater, Texas. Vinsant was a First Team All-GSC selection last year, while Phinny was selected to the conference’s second team. Other returning team members include Aneeka Bhalla, a 5-7 senior from Nepean, Ontario, Canada, and Caitlin Korensek, a 5-4 sophomore out of Ennis, Texas.

Two seniors join the squad this year in Ana Gonzalez-Dorado, 5-8, from Rosario, Argentina, and former Southern Arkansas basketball standout Brooke Grigsby, 5-9, out of Marmaduke. The other newcomer to the squad is Meaghan Ocanas, a 5-5 freshman from Rowlett, Texas.

Wayne Garner is in his eighth season as head coach of the Lady Mulerider tennis program.

SAU competed only in individual competition during the fall portion of their schedule, and is coming off a 12-14 campaign from last year, the most wins in the program’s history since moving to NCAA Division II.

Following Friday’s matches, Southern Arkansas won’t play again until February 26, when they hold their home-opener against Harding in a 1 p.m. non-conference match.