Written Macy Cox // Photo provided by Kelly Mahawanniarachchi
As the spring semester continues, the Harding tennis teams have begun their non-conference schedule for the 2024 season.
The Bison men’s and women’s tennis teams each have started this season with an overall record of 2-2. The most recent women’s matches was at Hendrix with the win of 9-0 and a loss of 7-0 against ranked No. 24 Mississippi College. The men’s team defeated Hendrix with the win 7-0 and dropped their match against Mississippi College with a score of 5-2.
Senior Bryce Walker, captain of the men’s team, has a record of 3-5 in singles and 1-3 in doubles with sophomore Edoardo D’Arrigo. Walker said he is hopeful to lead the team on and off the court throughout the 2024 season.
“I’m honored that this team has chosen me as their captain,” Walker said. “It is my hope to be the leader and motivator that can help us have a successful season on the courts. Although tennis is an individual sport, as a team we will always encourage and support each other from the sidelines. Each member of this team is dedicated to working towards a good representation on and off the courts for Harding University.”
Returning this season from a ruptured tendon surgery, senior Grace Dodd has started this season playing doubles with sophomore Georgia Plunkett with a record of 3-3. Dodd will be cleared to play singles at the end of this month.
Dodd said the team learned valuable lessons from their match against Mississippi College.
“Our matches were really close, and you could have never known the score from the outside and get six to one,” Dodd said. “Basically, we lost by five points, and overall on the team there were so many matches that were really close. We could not execute and get to that other level. We definitely learned from that match. We’ve realized that we need to be tougher, and we need to be more together and cheer for each other louder.”
Plunkett, currently holds a singles record of 1-5. This is Plunkett’s second season with the women’s team. Plunkett said the team has grown together throughout the beginning of the season.
“I feel like as players and as a team we have grown and have become a lot tougher and stronger,” Plunkett said. “I feel like last semester everyone was getting settled in again by having new teammates and getting to know each other again, whereas now I feel like we are all together and are playing really good tennis, and by the time we get to conference matches, I feel like we will be tough to beat.”
Both men and women tennis teams play this weekend in Dallas and Frisco, Texas, against Lubbock Christian, Pratt Community College and Metropolitan State University of Denver. The Great American Conference tournament will take place in Bentonville, Arkansas, beginining April 25.
