SHAWNEE, Okla. – It would certainly be preposterous to think that third-year head tennis coach Greg Owen's Mulerider Men's and Women's Tennis teams would not be prepared after having over two weeks off from competition. The nationally-ranked Southern Arkansas Men dismissed Oklahoma Baptist 7-0 in the squad's MIAA-GAC opener and the Southern Arkansas Women picked up their fourth-straight win and improved to 3-0 in GAC play with a 6-1 handling of the Bison Women.
 
The Mulerider Men (7-3, 1-0 MIAA-GAC), who were in action for the first time since Monday, 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 Mulerider Women (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 Thursday, 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.
 
Both Southern Arkansas teams return to action on Wednesday, March 31 in Searcy, Arkansas, for a 2 p.m. Great American Conference match with Harding. The SAU Men knocked off the Bisons 6-1 on February 27 in Arkadelphia. The Mulerider Women look to avenge a 5-2 loss to the Lady Bisons on the same Saturday in February. Results will be made available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
 
#24 SAU Men (7) vs. OBU (0)
 
Doubles
No. 1 Sofiane Bah/Sander Jans (SAU) def. Aaron Brewer/Kaey-den Tan (OBU) 6-1
No. 2 Marko Nikoliuk/Yuri Gondouin (SAU) def. Rhett Rollins/Matthew Ford (OBU) 6-1
No. 3 Ole Lukas Valkyser/Gabriel Breitenmoser (SAU) def. Christian Siegle/Kyler Melton (OBU) 7-6 (3)
 
Singles
No. 1 Jans (SAU) def. Brewer (OBU) 6-4, 6-4
No. 2 Gondouin (SAU) def. Tan (OBU) 6-1, 6-4
No. 3 Nikoliuk (SAU) def. Rollins (OBU) 6-0, 6-4
No. 4 Valkyser (SAU) def. Siegle (OBU) 7-5, 6-0
No. 5 Breitenmoser (SAU) def. Ford 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 Bah (SAU) def. Melton (OBU) 6-2, 6-1
 
SAU Women (6) vs. OBU (1)
 
Doubles
No. 1 Angela Vargas/Lena Milosevic (SAU) def. Lin Xin Tan/Jenna Noel (OBU) 7-6 (3)
No. 2 Sarah Roy/Kalley Smith (SAU) def. Gabrielly Lamas/Vera Anagrova (OBU) 6-0
No. 3 Serena Gill/Honoka Yoshimura (SAU) def. Rylie Helm/Elyce Clark (OBU) 6-2
 
Singles
No. 1 Vargas (SAU) def. Tan (OBU) 6-4, 6-1
No. 2 Milosevic (SAU) def. Noel (OBU) 6-3, 6-4
No. 3 Lamas (OBU) def. Gill (SAU) 4-6, 7-5, 10-7
No. 4 Roy (SAU) def. Anagrova (OBU) 6-4, 6-2
No. 5 Yoshimura (SAU) def. Helm (OBU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 6 Smith (SAU) def. Clark (OBU) 6-0, 6-0