The UAFS women’s and men’s tennis teams closed the regular season on Saturday afternoon with a nonconference split against East Central University at Fort Smith Athletic Club.
            UAFS won the women’s match in convincing fashion 7-2, but it lost a close men’s match 5-4.
            The Lady Lions opened their match by winning the No. 1 doubles match, where sophomore Masa Podunavac and freshman Taylor Price defeated Marta Valles and Elisabeth Dignard 8-1. Their next win came from No. 3 doubles, where freshman Abby Thompson teamed up with freshman Allie Wilson to beat Bernardina Muscillo and Agostina Moran 8-4
            UAFS held a 2-1 lead going into the singles play. The Lady Lions continued to stay focused throughout the day, winning five out of six singles matches to post their first home match win of the season.
            The Lions, however, were unable to finish their season on a winning note before heading to Heartland Conference Tournament next Thursday.
            UAFS opened the match by winning the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles matches, staying ahead of its opponent before going into singles play. The Lions were unable to keep their momentum going, losing three out of five matches. The Lions’ only wins came at No. 2 singles, where freshman Chris Ramirez defeated Marc Fillat in three sets 6-2, 6-7, 6-2 and from No. five singles where freshman Clay Sandefur defeated Andrew Cabato in three-set thriller 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
            Both the men’s and women’s teams will travel to Dallas on Thursday,where they will compete in the Heartland Conference Tournament.
 
COLLEGE TENNIS
WOMEN
UAFS 7, EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY 2
SATURDAY
AT FORT SMITH ATHLETIC CLUB
Doubles
Masa Podunavac/Taylor Price, UAFS, def. Marta Vallas/Elisabeth Dignard, ECU, 8-1
Aurelie Rodriquez/Mariah Vargas, ECU, def. Amy Belanger/Whitney Hobson, UAFS, 8-5
Allie Wilson/Abby Thompson, UAFS, def. Bernardita Muscillo/Agostina Moran, ECU, 8-4
Singles
Vallas, ECU, def. Podunavac, UAFS, 6-4, 6-4
Price, UAFS, def. Muscillo, ECU, 6-2,7-5
Belanger def. Dignard UAFS, 6-2, 7-6
Thompson, UAFS, def. Rodriquez, ECU, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4
Hobson, UAFS, def. Vargas, ECU, 6-3, 6-1
Carr, UAFS, def. Moran, ECU, 6-0, 6-4
 
MEN
EAST CENTRAL UNIVERSITY 5, UAFS 4
SATURDAY
AT FORT SMITH ATHLETIC CLUB
Doubles
Clay Sandefur/ Matt Tabler, UAFS, def. Andrew Cabato/Nate Kipping, ECU, 8-4
Chris Ramirez/Jorge Salazar, UAFS, def. Victor Blasco/ Julian Caminos, ECU, 8-6
Max De Juan/ Marc Fillat ECU, def. Braden Eads/Evan Daniel, UAFS, 8-5
Singles
De Juan, ECU, def. Sean Manning, UAFS, 6-1, 6-0
Ramirez, UAFS, def. Fillat, ECU, 6-2, 6-7, 6-2
Blasco, ECU, def. Jorge Salazar, UAFS, 6-3, 6-1
Caminos, ECU, def. Tabler, UAFS, 6-3, 6-2
Sandefur, UAFS, def. Cabato, ECU, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Kipping ECU, def. Caleb Gunsch, UAFS, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(5)