SEARCY – Harding's depth was on display Tuesday at the Harding Tennis Courts as Harding used its younger players to defeat the University of the Ozarks 7-2. The victory was Harding's ninth straight to open the 2011-12 season.

Harding cruised to victory in all three doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead. Freshman Forrest Hickey teamed with junior Anthony Saegert to win 8-3 at No. 1 and move to 2-0 as a team. Junior Sammy Lhotak and freshman Michael Mare' played together for the first time and won 8-1 at No. 2. Sophomore Geoff Synco and sophomore Mason Bailey won their second match together with an 8-4 victory at No. 3.

The Bisons then won four of the six singles matches. The most competitive match came at No. 2 where Hickey won his first collegiate singles match in three sets, 5-7, 7-6, 10-5. Lhotak played No. 1 for the Bisons and won his first singles match of the season in straight sets. Harding's other victories came at No. 4, where Synco did not lose a game in improving to 3-0, and at No. 5 where freshman Jacob Rider won his collegiate debut in straight sets.

Harding will look for its 10th victory of the season Friday when it takes on Newman University in a neutral site match in Bentonville, Ark.

Tennis Match Results
Ozarks (Ark.) vs Harding
Feb 21, 2012 at Searcy, Ark.
(HU Tennis Courts)
 
Harding 7, Ozarks (Ark.) 2
 
Singles competition
1. Sammy Lhotak (HU) def. Bill Blake (UO) 6-3, 6-3
2. Forrest Hickey (HU) def. Michael Skimbo (UO) 5-7, 7-6, 10-5
3. Tom Lowe (UO) def. Anthony Saegert (HU) 6-3, 6-4
4. Geoff Synco (HU) def. Camden Riley (UO) 6-0, 6-0
5. Jacob Rider (HU) def. Tanner Holman (UO) 6-1, 6-3
6. Bryant Ford (UO) def. Mason Bailey (HU) 7-5, 6-4
 
Doubles competition
1. Forrest Hickey/Anthony Saegert (HU) def. Bill Blake/Tom Lowe (UO) 8-3
2. Sammy Lhotak/Michael Mare' (HU) def. Michael Skimbo/Camden Riley (UO) 8-1
3. Geoff Synco/Mason Bailey (HU) def. Bryant Ford/Tanner Holman (UO) 8-4
 
Match Notes:
Ozarks (Ark.) 2-3
Harding 9-0