ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State took two of three doubles matches on Friday afternoon, but fell in four of the six singles contests to drop its season opener 5-4 to Seward County Community College.

Seward, who is the No. 3 junior college team in the nation, was on the ropes in the early going, as Henderson took a 2-1 lead in the match behind wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. The Reddies No. 2 team of Sydnee Parker and Mariah Bartlett battled past Maria Aviega and Steffany Bermudez for an 8-6 victory, while the No. 3 team of Lorraine Banimataku and Lorish Puluspene cruised to an 8-2 win over Yusna Hegy and Martina Borges.

In singles, both No. 2 Thea Minor and No. 5 Puluspene got straight-set wins to bring Henderson within one more of clinching the match, but Seward took No. 1, 3 and 5 singles to tie things up at 4-4. The deciding match came at No. 4 singles, where in the only three-set match of the afternoon, Banimataku took the first set 6-1, but could not hold off Bermudez in the last two, as she and Seward ultimately won it 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, to claim the 5-4 team win and spoil opening day for the Reddies.

Henderson's next match comes on Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. against Southwest Baptist at the Bettye Wallace Tennis Center.


FINAL RESULTS:
SINGLES:
1. Patricia Fanta (SCCC) def. Annie Shannon (HSU) 6-2, 6-1
2. Thea Minor (HSU) def. Maria Aviega (SCCC) 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
3. Alena Macharova (SCCC) def. Sydnee Parker (HSU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Steffany Bermudez (SCCC) def. Lorraine Banimataku (HSU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4
5. Martina Borges (SCCC) def. Mariah Bartlett (HSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Lorish Puluspene (HSU) def. Yusna Hegy (SCCC) 7-5, 6-2

DOUBLES:
1. Patricia Panta/Alena Macharova (SCCC) def. Annie Shannon/Thea Minor (HSU) 9-7
2. Sydnee Parker/Mariah Bartlett (HSU) def. Maria Aviega/Steffany Bermudez (SCCC) 8-6
3. Lorraine Banimataku/Lorish Puluspene (HSU) def. Yusna Hegy/Martina Borges (SCCC) 8-2