SEARCY, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech women's tennis team closed out their 2021 regular season with a narrow 4-3 loss on the road at Harding on Thursday afternoon.
 
The loss drops the Golden Suns to 10-5 overall and 4-2 in the Great American Conference. With the regular season complete, the Golden Suns will be no lower than the No. 3-seed in the upcoming GAC Tournament and have a chance to move up to the No. 2-seed if Southeastern Oklahoma loses its final two conference matches at Ouachita and Henderson State on Friday.
 
If Southeastern wins one of those matches, then the Golden Suns will be the No. 3-seed in the tournament. That tournament is scheduled to take place Friday, April 23 through Saturday, April 24.
 
In the match with the Lady Bisons (13-2, 6-0 GAC), the Golden Suns had a steep hill to climb as they entered doubles play with an automatic defeat at No. 3 doubles due to only having five active players for the match. Ultimately, that doubles point in the team match quickly went in favor of Harding as the Lady Bisons won the top-flight, 6-0.
 
Up 1-0 after doubles, Harding, by default, went up 2-0 in the match after Tech took a default loss at No. 6 singles and then 3-0 with a win at No. 1 singles. A closely-contested contest at No. 4 singles went in favor of the Lady Bisons as they clinched the match with their fourth point.
 
The Golden Suns would be resilient despite not winning the team match and won the final three singles matches at No. 3, No. 5 and No. 2 to pull the score to its 4-3 final.
 
If the Golden Suns are the No. 3-seed in the GAC Tournament, they will play the No. 6-seeded team at 10 a.m. If they are the No. 2-seed, they will open play at 3 p.m. against the winner of one the No. 3 and No. 6-seed match.
 
All matches at the tournament will be played at the Memorial Park Tennis Complex in Bentonville, Ark.
 
Harding 4 – Arkansas Tech 3
DOUBLES COMPETITION (3,1)

1. Rylie Cox Evans/Emily Carpenter (HU) def. Lea Grinberg/Daniela Baez (ATU) 6-0
2. Romane Britt/Lindy Carpenter (HU) vs. Aastha Dargude/Megan Bell (ATU) 3-2 (UF)
3. Hana Folse/Allison Carpenter (HU) def. Isabella Major/No Player (ATU) WD

 
SINGLES COMPETITION (6,1,4,3,5,2)

1. Rylie Cox Evans (HU) def. Lea Grinberg (ATU) 7-5, 6-1
2. Aastha Dargude (ATU) def. Emily Carpenter (HU) 4-6, 6-4, 10-6
3. Daniela Baez (ATU) def. Romane Britt (HU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Hana Folse (HU) def. Megan Bell (ATU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Isabella Major (ATU) def. Allison Carpenter (HU) 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
6. Lindy Carpenter (HU) def. No Player (ATU) WD