ARKADELPHIA – The No. 15 Ouachita men's tennis team earned a hard-fought win over No. 29 Southern Arkansas on Tuesday at home by a final score of 4-3.

The win improves the Tigers to 10-4 overall and 2-0 in MIAA/GAC matches. SAU drops to 10-5 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA/GAC.

The Tigers started Tuesday's match by earning the doubles point with victories in first and third positions. Elias Lagger and Fernando Docters were the first to finish with a 6-3 win in third position. No. 9 Phil Exner and Alex Blanchar came through in first position with a 7-5 win. Aaron Osmond and Ramon Strassmann were tied 5-5 in second position when the point was clinched.

Four of the six singles matchups required a third set to determine victors. No. 55 Docters was the first to finish with wins in the first two sets with scores of 6-1 and 6-2 in third position. The Muleriders earned their first point with a straight-set win in fourth position.

No. 16 Exner gave the Tigers a 3-1 lead with a three-set win in second position over No. 50 Ole Valkyser, falling in the first set 6-1 before coming back to win 6-3 and 6-1. The Muleriders made it 3-2 with a win in fifth position.

The clincher came from No. 20 Blanchar in first position, winning the third set against No. 59 Tim Fischer 6-4. Blanchar opened with a 6-2 win in the first set and then fell in the second 6-4.

Moritz Buss fell in a close three-set match in sixth position to finish out the match.

The Tigers are off for more than a week before taking a road trip to face Washburn on April 6 and William Jewell on April 7.

NO. 15 OUACHITA 4, NO. 29 SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 3
 
DOUBLES

1. No. 9 Exner/Blanchar (OUA) def. Lluc Pasqual/Adrian Gheorge (SAU) 7-5
2. Osmond/Strassmann (OUA) vs. Matthew Tennant/Valkyser (SAU) 5-5 did not finish
3. Lagger/Docters (OUA) def. Pierre Copin/Fischer (SAU) 6-3

 
SINGLES

1. No. 20 Blanchar (OUA) def No. 59 Fischer (SAU) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. No. 16 Exner (OUA) def. No. 50 Valkyser (SAU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
3. No. 55 Docters (OUA) def. Mathys Pinoit (SAU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Frode Neumann (SAU) def. Strassmann (OUA) 6-4, 6-3
5. Copin (SAU) def. Lagger (OUA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
6. Pasqual (SAU) def. Buss (OUA 3-6, 6-2, 3-6