BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech and East Central each earned return trips to the Great American Conference Women’s Tennis Championship final, but did so in different fashions. The Golden Suns swept Southeastern Oklahoma State while the Lady Tigers have to survive and upset bid by Harding on Friday from the Memorial Park Tennis Complex.
 
The top seed and defending champion Golden Suns (12-5) made quick work of the Savage Storm (5-13) as they lost only three combined games in taking the three doubles points. GAC Player of the Year Bohdana Sardak teamed with Laura Sanchez for a win at the number one doubles spot. She then beat Sabina Mardenka 6-1, 6-1 at number one singles. Nina Greenway secured a singles point at the number six position after pairing with Allison Grahl for an 8-1 win against Elba Haugen and Marina Dias at the number three doubles spot.
 
Earlier in the day, the Savage Storm ended a six-match losing streak by beating Ouachita Baptist, 5-2. The Lady Tigers (4-13) claimed two of the three doubles points before Mardenka, Fabi Juarez, Haugen and Dias scored wins at the No. 1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions, respectively.
 
East Central (9-9) joined the Arkansas Tech in the title match by rallying against Harding, 5-3. The Lady Bisons (12-8) claimed points at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to grab an early advantage. They increased their lead to 3-1 when Kaleigh Wagner beat Agostina Moran 6-1, 6-0 at number six singles.
 
From that point on, the Lady Tigers won at the No. 1, No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 positions to pull out the victory. Marta Valles, Aurelie Rodriguez and Mariah Vargas earned straight-set victories. At the number three position, Elisabeth Dignard dropped her opening set to Chelsea Lanier, 4-6, before winning the final two sets, 6-3, 6-2.
 
Harding had earned its spot in the semifinals by sweeping Henderson State (3-11).

The Golden Suns and Lady Tigers will compete for the GAC Championship at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Arkansas Tech beat East Central, 7-2, in Ada, Okla. on March 30.

Semifinals: Arkansas Tech 5, Southeastern Oklahoma State 0
DOUBLES
#1 Bohdana Sardak/Laura Sanchez (ATU) def. Sabina Mardenka/Andreea Georgescu, 8-1
#2 Maria Aleman/Camila Roca (ATU) def. Fabi Juarez/Cassandra Bratten, 8-1
#3 Nina Greenway/Allison Grahl (ATU) def. Elba Haugen/Marina Dias, 8-1
SINGLES
#1 Sardak (ATU) def. Mardenka, 6-1, 6-1
#2 Aida Castany (ATU) vs. Georgescu (SE) DNF
#3 Aleman (ATU) vs. Juarez (SE) DNF
#4 Sanchez (ATU) vs. Bratten (SE) DNF
#5 Grahl (ATU) vs. Haugen (SE) DNF
#6 Greenway (ATU) def. Dias, 6-0, 6-0

Semifinals: East Central 5, Harding 3
DOUBLES
#1 Benyapa Phumtip/Ali Rowden (HU) def. Marta Valles/Elisabeth Dignard, 8-2
#2 Aurelie Rodriguez/Mariah Vargas (ECU) def. Chelsea Lanier/Kaleigh Wagner, 8-1
#3 Katie Huff/Maria Moreno (HU) def. Bernardita Muscillo/Agostina Moran, 9-7
SINGLES
#1 Valles (ECU) def. Phumtip, 6-3, 6-2
#2 Muscillo (ECU) vs. Rowden (HU) DNF
#3 Dignard (ECU) def. Lanier, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
#4 Rodriguez (ECU) def. Huff, 6-1, 6-3
#5 Vargas (ECU) def. Moreno, 6-1, 6-0
#6 Wagner (HU) def. Moran, 6-1, 6-0
 
First Round: Harding 5, Henderson State 0
DOUBLES
#1 Ali Rowden/Benyapa Phumtip (HU) def. Sarah Camras/Brittany Harness, 8-4
#2 Chelsea Lanier/Kaleigh Wagner (HU) def. Jenny Cecotti/Tyler Reaves, 8-4
#3 Katie Huff/Maria Moreno (HU) def. MJ Woodward/Emily Eggleston, 8-3
SINGLES
#1 Phumtip (HU) def. Camras, 6-0, 6-0
#2 Rowden (HU) vs. Jenny Cecotti (HSU) DNF
#3 Lanier (HU) vs. Brittany Harness (HSU) DNF
#4 Huff (HU) vs. Tyler Reaves (HSU) DNF
#5 Moreno (HU) vs. MJ Woodward (HSU) DNF
#6 Wagner (HU) def. Eggleston, 6-1, 6-1
 
First Round: Southeastern Oklahoma State 5, Ouachita Baptist 2
DOUBLES
#1 Valeriya Mansvetova/Kourtney Chumbley (OBU) def. Sabina Mardenka/Andreea Georgescu, 8-6
#2 Kristin Bodine/Lilia Sokolova (OBU) def. Fabi Juarez/Cassandra Bratten, 9-8 
#3 Elba Haugen/Marina Dias (SE) def. McKenzie Cranford/Camila Ferriera, 9-8
SINGLES
#1 Mardenka (SE) def. Valeriya Mansvetova, 6-4, 6-4 
#2 Georgescu (SE) vs. Chumbley  (OBU) DNF
#3 Juarez (SE) def. Bodine, 6-2, 6-2
#4 Bratten (SE) vs. Sokolova (OBU) DNF
#5 Haugen (SE) def. Samantha Street, 6-1, 6-1
#6 Dias (SE) def. Cranford, 6-1, 6-0