SEARCY - Harding women's tennis defeated NCAA Division I opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff for the second time this season with a 7-2 victory over the Lady Lions on Tuesday at the Harding Tennis Courts.

The victory was Harding's second straight and gave the Lady Bisons a 14-4 overall record and a 5-1 home mark.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff had only five players after the team had a player suspended earlier in the day. With the suspension, Harding won No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles by default.

The Lady Bisons won both of the remaining doubles matches by identical 8-4 scores. Ling Chan and Benyapa Phumtip improved to 7-1 as a doubles team with a victory at No. 1, and Katie Huff and Chelsea Hunt won their team-best 10th doubles match at No. 2.

Harding picked up three victories in the remaining five singles matches. Phumtip won her sixth straight with a shutout victory at No. 2. Gina Cielo won her team-best 14th singles match of the season and 51st of her career at No. 4, and Callie Huey won her team-best 11th straight singles match at No. 5.

Harding plays its first Great American Conference match Wednesday in Searcy against Southern Arkansas. Action begins at 1 p.m.

Tennis Match Results
Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs Harding
Mar 27, 2012 at Searcy, Ark.
(Harding Tennis Courts)

Harding 7, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 2

Singles competition
1. Monica Arcos (UAPB) def. Ling Chan (HU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Benyapa Phumtip (HU) def. Lauren Valecillos (UAPB) 6-0, 6-0
3. Fabiola Cardoso (UAPB) def. Chelsea Hunt (HU) 6-2, 3-6, 10-8
4. Gina Cielo (HU) def. Jarissa Greenard (UAPB) 6-3, 6-2
5. Callie Huey (HU) def. Maria Cabane (UAPB) 7-5, 6-2
6. Katie Huff (HU) def. No player (UAPB), by default

Doubles competition
1. Ling Chan/Benyapa Phumtip (HU) def. Fabiola Cardoso/Maria Cabane (UAPB) 8-4
2. Chelsea Hunt/Katie Huff (HU) def. Jarissa Greenard/Monica Arcos (UAPB) 8-4
3. Gina Cielo/Callie Huey (HU) def. No player/No player (UAPB), by default

Match Notes:
Harding 14-4

By Scott Goode