MAGNOLIA, Ark. – #13 Southern Arkansas got its first taste of Central Region action on Monday afternoon from the beautiful Live Oak Tennis Courts as the Muleriders hosted #14 Northwest Missouri, preseason favorites in the MIAA-GAC North Division, in a top 15 tilt. SAU got the best of the Bearcats in this match topping its familiar foe 7-0 to improve to 6-1 on the season. Southern Arkansas runs its home record to 16-1 since 2018-19.
The Muleriders jumped out to 1-0 advantage as the doubles teams of
Sander Jans/
Marko Nikoliuk and
Stuart Rehfuss/
Sofiane Bah each won at their respective lines. Jans and Nikoliuk topped NWMSU's Andrea Zamurri and Franco Oliva 6-3, while Rehfuss and Bah took care of business against the Bearcats' Fillippo Piranomonte 6-2.
Singles action saw just two of the six lines decided in a third set as both Rehfuss and
Yuri Gondouin rallied from set one losses to help the Muleriders shutout Northwest Missouri. After falling behind 6-7 in the match opener, Rehfuss won 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) to beat No. 6 Oliva, while Gondouin won 6-1, 1-0 (10-8) after dropping set one 4-6 to Mason Meier. Jans topped No. 16 Zamurri 6-4, 6-2 at No. 1.
Ole Valkyser edged Fabien Calloud at No. 4 by a score of 6-3, 7-5. Nikoliuk picked up a win at No. 3 with a 6-3, 6-3 decision over Simon Birgerson. Bah won at No. 6 6-1, 6-3 over NWMSU's Martin Sanchez.
The victory is the fourth this season for the Muleriders against teams ranked or receiving votes in the ITA rankings with Monday's win being the third such win against a Division II opponent after the Muleriders handed NJCAA No. 1 and two-time defending national champion Tyler Junior College a 6-1 defeat. The last loss by the Apaches to a Division II team was prior to an NCAA men's tennis program existing at SAU.
Southern Arkansas returns to action this weekend in Magnolia for three matches across three days. The Muleriders will battle Montevallo (3/11), Midwestern State (3/12), and Newman (3/13). Live vide coverage links are available at
www.MuleriderAthletics.com.
