MAGNOLIA, Ark. – On the back of a pair of strong starts to their respective seasons, the Southern Arkansas Men's & Women's Tennis teams each carry momentum into this weekend's action in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The Southern Arkansas Women have been busy this spring as the squad has posted an 11-2 record overall and a 1-0 mark in Great American Conference play after a 4-0 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State in Magnolia this past Tuesday. The Lady Muleriders have won seven-consecutive matches, including the program's first-ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent; a 4-3 decision over #17 Northeastern State.
The Lady Muleriders turn their attention to a competitive weekend of play as a pair of ranked opponents await. The Lady Muleriders face #11 Central Oklahoma in Lawton, Oklahoma, on Friday, March 8 at 3 p.m. SAU will then meet Metro-State Denver (8 a.m.) and #14 Midwestern State (1 p.m.) on Sunday, March 10, in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Competing this weekend for the Lady Muleriders are
Aurora Novati,
Joanna Nowakowska,
Angela Vargas,
Lena Milosevic,
Serena Gill,
Simone Simas, and
Brenda Teixeira. On Thursday, Milosevic joined Nowakowska as players that have received a weekly accolade from the GAC as it was announced that the former was named the league's Female Tennis Player of the Week.
SAU Women Season Stats:
https://www.r2sports.com/system/rankings/ITArankings.asp?rankingTypeID=42
The Southern Arkansas Men, which are receiving votes in the most recent Oracle/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Top 25 Team Rankings, are off to an impressive start in the program's first season of NCAA competition. The Muleriders own a 9-2 mark overall with a 1-0 start to Great American Conference play. SAU topped the defending conference champion Savage Storm of Southeastern Oklahoma in the league opener for both teams; just the fifth league loss for SOSU since 2012-13.
Additionally, the SAU Men knocked off then #25 Washburn 4-3; the program's first victory over a Top 25 team in program history. The Muleriders enter the weekend having won their previous five matches.
SAU matches up with four opponents this weekend, including a ranked team to close out the action from Wichita Falls, Texas. The Muleriders will face Metro State-Denver (3/8 at 9 a.m.), Colorado State-Pueblo (3/8 at 3 p.m.), Colorado Mesa (3/9 at 9 a.m.) and #17 Midwestern State (3/10 at 1 p.m.).
Making the trip into the Lone Star State for the Muleriders this weekend are
Stuart Rehfuss,
Natiphat Mulada,
Marko Nikoliuk,
Alexandre Machaj,
Yuri Gondouin,
Raymond Marin Garcia,
Aleksandr Pokusaev and
Gustavo Kerber. Gondouin was most recently named the GAC's Male Tennis Player of the Week. He joins Rehfuss as Muleriders that have claimed the individual honor from the league this season.
SAU Men Season Stats:
https://www.r2sports.com/system/rankings/ITArankings.asp?rankingTypeID=41
Results and recaps of each match will be made available on
www.MuleriderAthletics.com throughout the weekend.
