MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Arkansas Tech women's tennis team jumped back into Great American Conference play on Saturday as they traveled to Magnolia to take on Southern Arkansas. The Golden Suns left with a strong 6-1 win in hand and a 2-0 start to their conference schedule.
In the match, the Golden Suns quickly picked up the first point of the contest as they secured the doubles point with wins at No. 3 (
Melanie Griffiths/
Megan Bell) and No. 1 doubles (
Lea Grinberg/
Daniela Baez). Those wins left the No. 2 doubles match unfinished, but the pairing of
Aastha Dargude and
Madalena Amil had a 5-4 lead prior to being stopped.
Moving into singles action, the dominance of the Golden Suns continued to show out as they won five of the six singles matches.
Grinberg at No. 1 singles was first to come to conclusion and she made quick work of her opponent, only dropping two games of her straight-sets victory (6-2, 6-0).
Maria Krite was next to win and did so in straight sets at No. 5 singles, 6-3, 6-3.
Meaghan Butler also took care of business in two sets, winning at No. 6, 7-5, 6-2. Butler's singles win clinched the team victory for the Golden Suns.
Baez dropped her first set in a tie-breaker 7-6(2), but battled back in the second set and won 6-3. With the match decided, Baez then went on to win the tie-breaking point to earn the win.
The same was true for Dargude in her match at No. 3 as she rallied from a set-one defeat to win set two and take the tie-breaking point.
SAU then picked up their lone point in a three-set win at No. 4 singles.
The Golden Suns will now return home for a pair of GAC matches at home this coming week. The first of those is a Wednesday, April 13 meeting with No. 37-ranked Southeastern Oklahoma. First-serve out at the Chartwells Women's Sports Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.
