BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The 5-seed Henderson State Reddies met with the 4-seed Southern Arkansas Muleriders in the first round of the Great American Conference Championships, marking the third time the two teams had played each other this year.
 
With each squad seeing one win on the year, the Reddies broke the tie, taking the third match as they defeated the defending-GAC champs, 4-0, to head to the semifinals. The win marked HSU's first GAC Tournament win since 2017 and only its second tournament victory in the history of the league.
 
With the match only being played until clinch, Henderson got doubles out of the way with a pair of 6-3 wins at No. 1 from Mulan Kamoe and Franny Nyarko and at No. 2 from Georjemah Row and Katie Watts to secure the point and go ahead in the overall match, 1-0.
 
In singles play, true-freshmen Tori Johnson and Katie Watts tore through their respective first sets, seeing 6-0 wins before eventually taking straight-set victories at the Nos. 5 & 6 line, respectively. With HSU quickly jumping ahead 3-0, Nyarko gave the Reddies the clinch with a 6-2, 6-1 victory at No. 3.
 
Waiting in the semifinals was top-seeded Harding, who had defeated Henderson earlier in the year, 5-2, while going undefeated in conference play.
 
Before the Lady Bisons secured the doubles point, the tandem of Kamoe & Nyarko was ahead 5-2, poised to hand Harding's top doubles team its third loss of the season and second loss at the hands of Kamoe/Nyarko. With the match only being played until clinch, however, Harding took advantage of three quick singles outings as the No. 1-seed Harding Lady Bisons won, 4-0.
 
Henderson State finishes its year with its first GAC Tournament victory in three seasons and a 5-7 overall record and a 2-4 conference record in the regular season.
 
 
RESULTS: Henderson State 4, Southern Arkansas 0
 
Doubles
No. 1 Mulan Kamoe/Franny Nyarko (HSU) defeated Sarah Roy/Kalley Smith (SAU) 6-3
No. 2 Georjemah Row/Katie Watts (HSU) defeated Lena Milosevic/Serena Gill (SAU) 6-3
No. 3 Erica Jaggernauth/Tirzah Bailey (HSU) vs. Haylie Hunger/Honoka Yoshimura (SAU) 4-2 (unfinished)
 
Singles
No. 1 Lena Milosevic (SAU) vs. Mulan Kamoe (HSU) 7-5, 1-4 (unfinished)
No. 2 Georjemah Row (HSU) vs. Serena Gill (SAU) 6-3, 4-3 (unfinished)
No. 3 Franny Nyarko (HSU) defeated Kalley Smith (SAU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 4 Honoka Yoshimura (SAU) vs. Erica Jaggernauth (HSU) 6-4 (unfinished)
No. 5 Tori Johnson (HSU) defeated Sarah Roy (SAU) 6-0, 6-2
No. 6 Katie Watts (HSU) defeated Haylie Hunger (SAU) 6-0, 6-3
 
 
RESULTS: Harding 4, Henderson State 0
 
Doubles
No. 1 Mulan Kamoe/Franny Nyarko (HSU) vs. Rylie Cox Evans/Emily Carpenter (HU) 5-2 (unfinished)
No. 2 Romane Britt/Lindy Carpenter (HU) defeated Georjemah Row/Katie Watts (HSU) 6-2
No. 3 Hana Folse/Allison Carpenter (HU) defeated Erica Jaggernauth/Tirzah Bailey (HSU) 6-2
 
Singles
No. 1 Rylie Cox Evans (HU) vs. Mulan Kamoe (HSU) 6-1 (unfinished)
No. 2 Emily Carpenter (HU) vs. Georjemah Row (HSU) 6-3, 5-7 (unfinished)
No. 3 Romane Britt (HU) vs. Franny Nyarko (HSU) 6-3 (unfinished)
No. 4 Hana Folse (HU) defeated Erica Jaggernauth (HSU) 6-3, 6-2
No. 5 Lindy Carpenter (HU) defeated Tori Johnson (HSU) 6-0, 6-3
No. 6 Allison Carpenter (HU) defeated Katie Watts (HSU) 6-2, 6-1