ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Senior Caleb Folse highlighted the Harding men's tennis team's performance at the Great American Conference Individual Tournament, advancing all the way to the championship match of the Flight 2 singles draw at the Ward Tennis Center.
Folse opened his run in the Blue Flight with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Southeastern Oklahoma's Benjamin Fracassi in the quarterfinals. He followed that up in the semifinals by earning a victory over Southern Arkansas' Balsa Djokovic, who retired due to injury in the second set after Folse took the opening set 6-2. In the finals, SAU's Lucas Nitzschke managed to halt Folse's run with a 6-3, 6-2 decision.
Harding also placed a second player in the Flight 2 semifinals, as sophomore Ignacio de Lorenzo earned a 7-6 (3) victory over Southeastern Oklahoma's Alexis Viau in the quarterfinals before falling in a tight two-set battle to Nitzschke, 6-4, 7-6 (12).
In Flight 4 singles, the Bisons put together a strong showing with Chase Walkey and Caden Highfill both advancing to the semifinals. Walkey cruised past Southeastern Oklahoma's Lucas Di Cicco 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals, while Highfill rallied from a set down to defeat SE's Paolo Estrada 1-6, 6-1, 10-3. Christian Smith also notched a victory in the Green Flight consolation draw, sweeping Di Cicco 6-3, 6-2.
In Flight 3 singles, Linus Huep picked up a dominant 6-0, 6-3 win against Southeastern Oklahoma's Jackson Follett in the consolation semifinals. Luke Rhoden added another singles win for the Bisons in Flight 5 round-robin action, defeating Southern Arkansas' William Von Pongracz 6-3, 6-4.
In doubles action, the tandem of Smith and Walkey earned Harding's top result of the weekend in Flight 2. The pair shut out Southeastern Oklahoma's Follett and Di Cicco 6-0 in the quarterfinals before falling in the semifinals to Ouachita Baptist's Tinus Mueller and Guillaume Randoux.
Harding will continue its fall tournament schedule Oct. 23-26 when the Bisons head to Edmond, Oklahoma, for the ITA Central Regional Championships.
