MAGNOLIA, Ark. – (RV) Southern Arkansas knocked off the defending Great American Conference Champions and preseason favorite Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon at the Live Oaks Tennis Courts as the Muleriders emerged victorious in a 4-2 decision which was reached after a 6-4, 6-1 win by SAU's Raymond Marin Garcia over SOSU's Jason Roberts.
 
The Muleriders (9-2, 1-0 GAC) handed the Savage Storm its first conference loss since 2017 and just its fifth league defeat since the 2012-13 season.
 
SAU won the doubles point after Alexandre Machaj and Yuri Gondouin defeated Sandro Lena and Jason Roberts 6-3, while Gustavo Kerber and Marko Nikoliuk topped Juan Scoppetta and Milos Vuckovic 6-4. The singles competition saw Scoppetta top Stuart Rehfuss in a tight contest 4-6, 6-7 (3). Before Garcia's triumph, which clinched the match, the Muleriders received two big points courtesy of Gondouin and Nikoliuk putting away their respective opponents in a pair of three-set matches.
 
Below are the complete results of SAU's league win over the Savage Storm on Tuesday:
 
Doubles Competition

1. SOSU's Finet/Nice def. SAU's Rehfuss/Pokusaev 6-4
2. SAU's Machaj/Gondouin def. SOSU's Lena/Roberts 6-3
3. SAU's Kerber/Nikoliuk def. SOSU's Scoppetta/Vuckovic 6-4

 
Singles Competition (Matches that were finished)

1. SOSU's Scoppetta def. SAU's Rehfuss 6-4, 7-6 (3)
2. SAU's Nikoliuk def. SOSU's Lena 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
3. SAU's Gondouin def. SOSU's Nice 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
4. SOSU's Finet def. SAU's Machaj 7-5, 6-2
5. SAU's Garcia def. SOSU's Roberts 6-4, 6-1
6. SAU's Pokusaev vs. SOSU's Vuckovic (6-2, 2-3 UF)

The SAU Men prepare for four matches this weekend in Wichita Falls, Texas, against Metro State-Denver, Colorado Mesa, Colorado State-Pueblo, and #17 Midwestern State. Start times are available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com and results of each match will be made available following each contest.