MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Mulerider Men's Tennis team stumbled at home for the first time under third-year head coach Greg Owen on Monday afternoon. #25 Southern Arkansas fell 5-2 to #20 West Alabama in a battle of nationally-ranked teams. SAU has now lost two straight matches and falls to 6-3 overall in 2021 and to 12-1 all-time on the Live Oaks Tennis Courts.
 
The doubles team of Yuri Gondouin and Marko Nikoliuk won 6-3 over Ilia Dehodiuk and Patricio Nieto, but the Tigers claimed wins at lines 1 and 3 to take a 1-0 lead. Gondouin also won at line two in singles play with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over IIari Vesanen. Freshman Gabriel Breitenmoser claimed a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Nieto at No. 5.
 
Junior Sander Jans dropped a tough battle at No. 1, his first action at the top of the chart for the Muleriders, to UWA's Christopher Bulus and Nikoliuk fell in a three-set match at No. 3 to Dehodiuk.
 
Southern Arkansas returns to action in just under three weeks as they will begin MIAA-GAC play in Shawnee, Oklahoma on Saturday, March 27 against Oklahoma Baptist. First-serve is set for 2 p.m. and results will be made available at www.MuleriderAthletics.com.