The women’s tennis team opened Great American Conference (GAC) play on Saturday, March 26, with a 5-4 win over Southern Nazarene University (SNU) and followed it up with a 6-3 non-conference victory over Lindenwood University on Monday, March 28.

The Lady Bisons have now won six straight matches and improved to 10-4 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

Harding took the lead early in Saturday’s match by winning two of the three doubles matches. The teams of junior Arielle Butler and sophomore Emily Faulkner and sophomores Brittany Smyser and Gabriella Alves each earned victories.

In singles, 15th-ranked junior Piper Huey was beaten in 2 hours and 40 minutes by 16th-ranked Noelia Gomez of SNU, but the Lady Bisons were still able to clinch the victory as Butler, Faulkner and Alves each secured straight-sets wins.

Head coach David Redding said that the match was a battle, but it was great for the team to start the conference season off well.

The match with SNU was the first of six matches in the GAC. The next match in the conference will be against Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU) at the Harding tennis courts tomorrow at 11 a.m.

“(SOSU is) going to be a very good team and they are probably going to be one of the favorites in the conference this year,” Redding said.

Harding was voted 6th in the GAC preseason coaches poll, but Redding said a close non-conference loss against 10th ranked Southwest Baptist University gives him confidence that his team will finish higher.

“Our results have been very good so far, so I think we have a chance to compete for the conference championship,” Redding said. “It will be tough, it won’t be easy, but we will be better than what the conference coaches thought we would be at the beginning of the year.”

The women’s team last won the Great American Conference in 2014. Butler, then a freshman, won the critical match that gave the Lady Bisons the conference title.

“Honestly, winning the tournament freshman year was one of the best feelings in my life,” Butler said. “Ever since then all I’ve wanted to do was go back and win again.”

Butler said she believes the team this year is capable of repeating what they did two years ago.

According to Redding, the team has focused on physical endurance this year. He said that they need to be able to play longer on the court without getting tired and making mistakes.

Redding said he has also focused on helping his team respond well to adversity. He said that it is important for the team to stay positive, focused and encouraged during its matches.

“I think (the positive mindset) is working so far, and I’m really encouraged by how the team has come together,” Redding said. “We are looking to not only win conference this year, but in the coming years, I’m hoping to improve our level of play to get a national ranking sometime in the next year or two — that’s my goal.”