Henderson State won its first-ever match in the Great American Conference Women's Tennis Tournament as the Reddies beat Southern Nazarene 5-4, Thursday in Bentonville, Ark.

With the win, the Reddies advance to the semifinals to face top-seeded Southeastern Oklahoma on Friday at 2 p.m.

It came down to the final match at No. 2 singles as Henderson's Thea Minor and SNU's Noelia Gomez played three grueling sets with Minor winning 6-3, 6-7, and 6-4.

The day began with doubles play as Henderson took a 2-1 lead by winning at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles.

HSU's Lorraine Banimataku and Mariah Bartlett outlasted SNU's Anna Garcia and Dragana Samardzic at No. 2 doubles winning 8-6.

At No. 3 doubles, the duo of Maddie McRae and Lauren Miller got past Trista LaGrande and Judit Mas by a score of 8-3. McRae and Miller improved to 3-2 as doubles partners.

Bartlett put the Reddies on top 3-1 by shutting out LeGrande 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.

At No. 1 singles, Shannon put the Reddies one match closer to victory as she beat Polina Chala in straight sets 6-4 and 6-3.

The Crimson Storm rallied to win at the next three singles matches to tie the score at 4-4 before Minor's victory, sending the Reddies to Friday's semifinals.
 
Henderson State 5, Southern Nazarene 4
Singles competition
1. Annie Shannon (HSU) def. Polina Chala (SNU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Thea Minor (HSU) def. Noelia Gomez (SNU) 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4
3. Anna Garcia (SNU) def. Lorraine Banimataku (HSU) 6-3, 6-5
4. Dragana Samardzic (SNU) def. Alexandra Cuello (HSU) 6-7 (4-7), 6-0, 6-1
5. Mariah Bartlett (HSU) def. Trista LeGrande (SNU) 6-0, 6-0
6. Judit Mas (SNU) def. Lauren Miller (HSU) 6-3, 6-4


Doubles competition
1. Polina Chala/Noelia Gomez (SNU) def. Annie Shannon/Thea Minor (HSU) 8-5
2. Lorraine Banimataku/Mariah Bartlett (HSU) def. Anna Garcia/Dragana Samardzic (SNU) 8-6
3. Maddie McRae/Lauren Miller (HSU) def. Trista LeGrande/Judit Mas (SNU) 8-3