Harding Women's Tennis Wins Second Straight; Downs Delta State 7-2

ARKADELPHIA, Ark. - Harding's No. 3 doubles team of Arielle Butler and Emily Faulkner won 9-8 in a tiebreaker and the Lady Bisons won for the second time in two days, defeating Delta State 7-2 on Thursday at the Heflin Tennis Center.

Delta State (0-1), playing its first match of the season, took a 1-0 lead with a victory at No. 1 doubles, but Harding (2-2) answered with an 8-3 victory from Gabriella Alves and Brittany Smyser at No. 2. Butler and Faulkner trailed 4-1 in the tiebreaker but came back to win 8-6 and give the Lady Bisons a 2-1 lead going into singles.

Straight-sets singles victories by Piper Huey at No. 1, Laura Golubic at No. 2 and Alves at No. 3 clinched the victory for Harding. Smyser lost her first set 6-0 at No. 4 but responded by winning consecutive tiebreakers in the second and third sets. Arielle Butler captured Harding's seventh point with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 5.

Harding plays its third match in three days Friday against 10th-ranked Southwest Baptist.

Tennis Match Results
Delta St. vs Harding
Feb 11, 2016 at Arkadelphia, Ark.
(Heflin Tennis Center)

Harding 7, Delta St. 2

Singles competition
1. Piper Huey (HU) def. Nathalia Sato (DSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Laura Golubic (HU) def. Charlotte Le Flohic (DSU) 6-3, 6-4
3. Gabriella Alves (HU) def. Alex Howe (DSU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Brittany Smyser (HU) def. Sara Alvarez-Rubio (DSU) 0-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (9-7)
5. Arielle Butler (HU) def. Sophia Niemeyer (DSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Celina Stracke (DSU) def. Emily Faulkner (HU) 6-1, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Charlotte Le Flohic/Nathalia Sato (DSU) def. Piper Huey/Laura Golubic (HU) 8-4
2. Gabriella Alves/Brittany Smyser (HU) def. Alex Howe/Sophia Niemeyer (DSU) 8-3
3. Arielle Butler/Emily Faulkner (HU) def. Celina Stracke/Sara Alvarez-Rubio (DSU) 9-8 (8-6)

Match Notes:
Delta St. 0-1
Harding 2-2

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Players Mentioned

Gabriella Alves: Sophomore

Arielle Butler: Junior

Emily Faulkner: Sophomore

Laura Golubic: Sophomore

Piper Huey: Junior

Brittany Smyser: Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Gabriella Alves
: Sophomore

Arielle Butler
: Junior

Emily Faulkner
: Sophomore

Laura Golubic
: Sophomore

Piper Huey
: Junior

Brittany Smyser
: Sophomore