GOLDEN SUNS TENNIS OPENS SPRING SEASON WITH
ROAD VICTORY AT HENDRIX COLLEGE

        CONWAY, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Women’s Tennis team opened its spring schedule here Tuesday with a 6-3 win over Hendrix College.

Tech, who improved its record to 3-0 on its combined fall and spring season, opened the match by winning two of the three doubles matches and then earned four wins in singles play.

“This is a nice way to open the spring season, hopefully this will spearhead us on to some more success this season,” Tech Head Women’s Tennis Coach Abby Davis said.

Against the Lady Warriors, junior Karissa Lentz (Norco, Calif.) won at No. 3 singles in straight sets (6-1, 6-3) over Hendrix’s Clair Spivey, while junior Whitney Simmons (Pottsville, Ark.) won in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) at No. 4 singles over Hendrix’s Liz Blackman. Sophomore Kristen Burgess (Winona, Texas) won in straight sets (6-4, 6-2) at No. 5 singles and junior Renee Malcuit (Lakeside, Calif.) won by identical 6-4 scores at No. 6 singles.

In doubles action, Simmons teamed with junior Puja Paul (Kolkata Bengal, India) to win 8-5 at No. 2 doubles and Malcuit and Lentz won 8-2 at No. 3 doubles. Burgess and sophomore Tahnee Crous (Keller, Texas) lost 8-2 at No. 1 doubles.

The Golden Suns will return to action this weekend when they travel to Ridgeland, Miss., to compete at the GSC Crossover. Tech will open the weekend on Friday with a 1 p.m. match against Alabama-Huntsville and then will play Jackson State at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Tech will conclude the two-day event against Montevallo at 8 a.m. and West Alabama at 1 p.m.

RESULTS

Arkansas Tech 6, University of Ozarks 3

SINGLES

No. 1 – Erin Swaller (Hendrix) def. Tahnee Crous (Tech), 6-1, 6-1

No. 2 – Caitlin Steven (Hendrix) def. Puja Paul (Tech), 6-1, 6-4

No. 3 – Karissa Lentz (Tech) def. Clair Spivey (Hendrix), 6-1, 6-3

No. 4 – Whitney Simmons (Tech) def. Liz Blackman (Hendrix), 6-3, 6-2

No. 5 – Kristen Burgess (Tech) def. Laura Faulk (Hendrix), 6-4, 6-2

No. 6 – Renee Malcuit (Tech) def. Kate Stuppy (Hendrix), 6-4, 6-4

DOUBLES

No. 1 – Swaller/Stevens (Hendrix) def. Crous/Burgess (Tech), 8-2

No. 2 – Simmons/Paul (Tech) def. Spivey/Blackman (Hendrix), 8-5

No. 3 – Malcuit/Lentz (Tech) def. Faulk/Abby Cape (Hendrix), 8-2

-- Tech Athletics --