SEARCY – The Harding women's tennis team, ranked 12th in the NCAA II South Region, completed a stunning comeback Friday and defeated Arkansas Tech, 13th in the region, 5-4 at the Harding Tennis Courts.

Harding improved to 17-5 with the win and remained perfect at 4-0 in Gulf South Conference West Division play.

Arkansas Tech won two of the three doubles matches, but Harding earned singles victories from Benyapa Phumtip at No. 2 and Gina Cielo at No. 5 to take a 3-2 lead. Arkansas Tech's Rachel Stevens evened the match with a victory at No. 4.

Arkansas Tech then won the first set of the three remaining singles matches. Mariel Alvarez eventually finished of Harding's Ling Chan 6-4, 6-4 in a very long match at No. 1 that gave Arkansas Tech a 4-3 lead.

Harding's Chelsea Hunt, playing at No. 3, and Fabiola Wisnesky-Michelli, playing at No. 6, both battled back to win the second sets of their matches to keep the Lady Bisons alive.

Wisnesky-Michelli completed her comeback first, winning 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to even the match at 4-4. A few moments later, the comeback concluded with Hunt winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

It was Harding's first 5-4 victory of the season and the first for the team since another 5-4 victory over Arkansas Tech last season.