SEARCY – The rain in Searcy held off just long enough for the Harding women's tennis team to earn a 7-1 victory over Ouachita Baptist in Gulf South Conference action at the HU Tennis Courts.

Harding's women have won seven straight and improved to 16-5 overall and 3-0 in the GSC.

Playing in a drizzle that lasted the entire match, Harding won five of the six singles matches and both doubles matches played before it began to rain too hard to continue. The teams played singles first in an effort to determine a winner before the rain came.

Freshman Benyapa Phumtip made quick work of Kourtney Chumbley, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 2 singles to give the Lady Bisons a 1-0 lead. It was Phumtip's second straight victory and ran her record to 9-3.

Three more singles matches ended at almost the same time with Harding collecting wins from Chelsea Hunt at No. 3, Gina Cielo at No. 4, and Fabiola Wisnesky-Michelli at No. 6. It was the 10th singles victory of the season for both Hunt and Cielo. Wisnesky-Michelli improved to 7-5 with her third straight win.

Ouachita Baptist earned its first point with Samantha Street's victory at No. 5 singles to cut the Harding lead to 4-1.

With No. 2 and No. 3 doubles underway, Harding needed one more victory to move to 3-0 in GSC play. Ling Chan, Harding's No. 1 singles player, trailed 4-0 in the first set, but rallied to win 7-5, 6-2 and clinch the match for the Lady Bisons.

Harding moved ahead 6-1 with Huey and Wisnesky-Michelli winning 8-0 at No. 3 doubles, and added its seventh point as Hunt and Cielo won 8-2 at No. 2. Huey and Wisnesky-Michelli improved to 4-1, and Hunt and Cielo moved to 3-1.

The Lady Bisons will look to remain perfect in GSC play Friday as they host Arkansas Tech at 2 p.m.

Tennis Match Results

Ouachita Baptist vs Harding

Mar 31, 2011 at Searcy, Ark.

(HU Tennis Courts)

Harding 7, Ouachita Baptist 1

 Singles competition

1. Ling Chan (HU) def. Mariana Divardin (OBU) 7-5, 6-2

2. Benyapa Phumtip (HU) def. Kourtney Chumbley (OBU) 6-0, 6-0

3. Chelsea Hunt (HU) def. Kristin Bodine (OBU) 6-1, 6-1

4. Gina Cielo (HU) def. Lilia Sokolova (OBU) 6-2, 6-2

5. Samantha Street (OBU) def. Callie Huey (HU) 6-4, 6-3

6. Fabiola Wisnesky (HU) def. Maria Kieseleva (OBU) 6-2, 6-1

 Doubles competition

1. Ling Chan/Benyapa Phumtip (HU) vs. Mariana Divardin/Kourtney Chumbley (OBU) unfinished

2. Chelsea Hunt/Gina Cielo (HU) def. Kristin Bodine/Samantha Street (OBU) 8-2

3. Callie Huey/Fabiola Wisnesky (HU) def. Lilia Sokolova/Annie Gerber (OBU) 8-0

Match Notes:

Harding 16-5, 3-0