The No. 49 ranked Harding men's tennis team dropped their opening GAC match at the Elliott Tennis Complex on Saturday, falling 5-2 to No. 45 ranked Southern Arkansas. Harding is now 8-8 on the season and 0-1 in conference while Southern Arkansas is 7-12 on the season and 1-2 in conference play. 

The Bisons dropped the doubles point for only the fifth time this season. Cas de Ruiter and Cian Mikkelsen, the No. 11 ranked doubles pair in the NCAA Division II, were leading the No. 15 ranked team of Sander Jans and Ben Schneider 5-4 at No. 1 before the match was stopped. 

In singles action de Ruiter picked up his team leading 19th singles victory of the season with a 6-3, 7-6 victory at No. 2 to level the match at 1-1. The Muleriders would go on to win the next four singles matches to clinch the victory. Bryce Walker finished the match with a 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6. 

The Bisons will host the No. 13 ranked Ouachita Baptist on Tuesday (April 11) in another conference matchup beginning at 2 p.m.