Bentonville host to GAC tennis teams
Harding earned the No. 2 seed and Arkansas Tech fell to No. 3 in the Great American Conference women’s tournament with a loss Saturday to the Lady Bisons.
Arkansas Tech plays No. 6 Ouachita Baptist and No. 4 Henderson State meets No. 5 Southern Nazarene in first-round matches Thursday in Bentonville, both starting at 2 p.m.
Top seed Southeastern Oklahoma awaits the Henderson-Southern Nazarene winner and Harding the Arkansas Tech-Ouachita survivor in semifinal matches at 2 p.m. Friday. The women’s final is 2 p.m. Saturday.
Men’s semifinals are 10:30 a.m. Friday with top seed Oklahoma Baptist vs. No. 4 Harding and No. 2 Southeastern Oklahoma vs. No. 3 Ouachita. The men’s final is 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
Oklahoma Baptist defeated Harding on Saturday for its first GAC regular-season title. After a three-way tie for second, Southeastern Oklahoma is matched against Ouachita, pitting the only two programs to claim the GAC championship.
Lake Hamilton freshman Kami
Ward won No. 3 singles and teamed with Annabel Rowlands for a No. 2 doubles victory as Arkansas Tech defeated Henderson 5-4 April 8 in Arkadelphia. Ward and Rowlands, in an 8-5 pro set, earned the Golden Suns’ only point against Harding in matches moved from Searcy to North Little Rock and Burns Park’s indoor courts.
Wonder Boys first, Reddies third in golf
HEBER SPRINGS — Arkansas Tech’s men’s golf team notched its third victory of the 2016-17 season Tuesday in the Natural State Classic at Red Apple Inn and Country Club.
The Wonder Boys now head to Hot Springs Country Club for the Great American Conference championships Sunday-Tuesday. Henderson State is three-time defending GAC tournament champion.
Arkansas Tech won by three strokes over Harding with an overall score of
576 and Henderson placing third at 583. Russellville senior Austin Smith paced the Wonder Boys with a tie for second at 68-74_142, even par. Harding’s Mason Banger took medalist honors at 71-69_140,
2 under. Co-runner-up Bryan Witmer of Arkansas-Monticello had two rounds of 71.
Henderson teammate Nick Shapiro and Kasoma Paolino finished in a four-way tie for fourth at 143, both finishing with 70s. Tech’s Ryan Spurlock and Henderson’s Tait Darby tied for eighth at 144 after closing-round 70s.
Cameron McRae tied for 17th at 147 and Henderson and former Lakeside teammate Drew Greenwood tied for 27th at 150.
Tech’s other victories this year were in the Northeastern State Classic and Henderson State Fall Invitational.