RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns tennis team finds itself in much the same position it was in last year entering NCAA tournament play - facing a rematch with the team that eliminated the Golden Suns from the Great American Conference championship tournament.

Last year, Harding topped the Golden Suns in the GAC title match. Not long thereafter, the Golden Suns returned the favor and bounced the Lady Bisons from the NCAA tournament. This year, East Central sent Arkansas Tech to an early exit in the semifinals of the conference tourney.

The Golden Suns hope the pattern set last year repeats itself as Tech opens NCAA Tournament play against ECU on Sunday in Bolivar, Mo. The winner will advance to play super region host Southwest Baptist in the final on Monday.

Arkansas Tech's 17-4 record on the season has been paced in large part by exceptional performances in doubles play. The Golden Suns have won 54 of 63 doubles matches in dual meets, and won 16 of 18 doubles points in GAC play this season. The top two doubles units consisting of Olga Leyshyna and Bohdana Sardak at No. 1 doubles and Tamara Bell and Camila Roca at No. 2 have each won 21 matches, and each enters tournament play on a six-match winning streak.

The two strongest singles performers in league play were Leyshyna at No. 3 singles and Vandella Suico at the No. 6 position. Leyshyna is 23-5 in singles matches this season and enters the NCAA tournament on a 14-match winning streak, including a perfect 6-0 mark in GAC play. Suico has made the most of her inaugural campaign as the everyday No. 6 player for the Golden Suns, going 18-4 overall including a 6-0 mark in GAC play. She enters the NCAA tourney on a nine-match win streak.

Sunday's matchup is a familiar one for the Golden Suns. Tech took a 7-2 victory over the Tigers in the penultimate match of the regular season before ECU stunned the Suns in the opening round of the GAC tourney. ECU rode the momentum through the championship match and a 5-3 win over Southern Nazarene.

Sunday's match is slated for a 1 p.m. start. The winning team advances to face SBU at 10 a.m. Monday.