Since the beginning of the men\u2019s tennis season in early February, the Bisons have continued to improve, adding a 5-4 win against St. Edward\u2019s University on March 11. The match against the Hilltoppers was Harding\u2019s first regionally ranked win of the season. The Bisons won at a neutral site in Texarkana, Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably the best win I\u2019ve had since I\u2019ve been here,\u201d head coach David Redding said. \u201cHopefully that win will propel us forward getting ready to start our conference matches coming up. Every team in our conference has been nationally ranked, so we\u2019re going to have to play hard each match.\u201d<\/p>\n
NCAA Division II requires teams to play a total of nine matches \u2014 three matches of doubles and six matches of singles. A team must win at least five matches to win. The Bisons have six healthy players, meaning all six must play both doubles and singles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played the best doubles that we\u2019ve played all season long,\u201d senior Carlos Crisostomo said. \u201cIt was a very important win and could be a season changer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophomore Alejandro Sendra secured the first singles win for the Bisons after a tough matchup.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was probably one of the toughest matches I have ever played on hard court,\u201d Sendra said. \u201cThe other player was aggressive on the baseline, and it was notably windy, so that made it even tougher. I was able to be pretty consistent, and I think that was the key to the match.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though the team currently has only six players due to injury, Redding sees multiple strengths so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re strong down through the lineup, and the bond among the players is probably the best that I\u2019ve seen,\u201d Redding said. \u201cThey play for each other, not for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sendra recognized the impact his teammates have on him when he talked about his singles win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all are very close, even though each practice is a battle,\u201d Sendra said. \u201cWe all worked together as a team in doubles, and my teammates\u2019 support helped me get a vital win in singles.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bisons play three home meetings this season. The first against Northwest Missouri State is already under the team\u2019s belt.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis sport is so much about confidence,\u201d Crisostomo said. \u201cA good match can change everything, and this has motivated me to work hard every day in order to play my best tennis each time I walk on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two remaining home meetings are back-to-back on April 7 at noon and April 10 at 2 p.m. Conference play begins next week with a matchup against the Oklahoma Baptist Bison on March 28 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. For more information on upcoming matchups and current statistics, visit www.hardingsports.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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