A day after winning their first-ever match in Great American Conference Tournament play, the Henderson State women's tennis team lost in the semifinals to top seeded Southeastern Oklahoma 5-1, Friday in Bentonville.
S
OSU, 17-2 overall and ranked 41^st nationally, claimed three singles matches and two doubles wins to achieve the number to win the match overall.

Henderson's No. 1 doubles team of Annie Shannon and Thea Minor claimed the lone victory for the Reddies beating Alexsandra Reljic and Darija Catipovic 8-6. Reljic and Catipovic are ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Central Region.

Shannon and Minor finished 4-5 on the season in doubles play.

Shannon, who was named First-Team All-GAC the third consecutive year, finished the year at 9-5 at No. 1 singles. The junior from Lautoka, Fiji lost Friday to Reljic in straight sets 6-1, 6-1. Shannon, who is ranked No. 9 in the Central Region, has a 31-13 overall career record.

Freshman Lauren Miller played at No. 6 singles and lost to Luisa Auffarth 6-4, 6-1 to finish the season 4-10 overall.

The remaining three singles matches were unfinished since SOSU achieved enough wins to claim the match and advance to the finals.

Henderson finished the season with a 6-9 record overall and 2-3 in the GAC while advancing to the GAC semifinals for the first time.
During the season, the Reddies won their first-ever match over Delta State and recorded a pair of 9-0 victories over Ouachita Baptist.

For the consecutive third year a Reddie earned either Freshman or Newcomer of the Year as Lorraine Banimataku was named GAC Newcomer of the Year.

Banimataku, who was also a Second-Team All-GAC honoree, compiled a 9-4 record overall and was 5-0 at No. 5 singles including 4-0 in GAC competition.

Last year Sydnee Parker earned GAC Freshman of the Year, with Shannon earning the honor in 2015.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma 5, Henderson State 1
Singles competition
1. Alexsandra Reljic (SOSU) def. Annie Shannon (HSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Anna Buiukian (SOSU) vs. Thea Minor (HSU) unfinished
3. Samantha Coquinos (SOSU) vs. Lorraine Banimataku (HSU) unfinished
4. Darija Catipovic (SOSU) vs. Alexandra Cuello (HSU) unfinished
5. Maria Martinez (SOSU) def.  Mariah Bartlett (HSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Luisa Auffarth (SOSU) def. Lauren Miller (HSU) 6-4, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Annie Shannon/Thea Minor (HSU) def. Alexsandra Reljic/Darija Catipovic (SOSU) 8-6
2. Samantha Coquinos/Anna Buiukian (SOSU) def. Lorraine Banimataku/Mariah Bartlett (HSU) 8-3
3. Maria Martinez/Luisa Auffarth (SOSU) def. Maddie McRae/Lauren Miller (HSU) 8-1