Clarke and Donaldson in action

Bahamian collegiate tennis players, Sydney Clarke and Sierra Donaldson, were in action on Wednesday for their respective schools on the court in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) action.

Clarke and her University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers (3-5) got a win over the Samford University Bulldogs (4-5) 5-2 at the Samford Tennis Center in Birmingham, Alabama in NCAA Division I play. This was their first road win of the season after losing four straight road duels.

Clarke helped the Blazers go up 2-0 when she comfortably won her singles match against Cindy Oest in two straight sets, 6-1, 6-1. This is coming off an unfinished game on Sunday when the match was stopped just before she served on match point.

Over on the doubles side, she was not so fortunate. She and her partner Alexandra da Silva fell 6-3 to Natalia De Ugarte and Oest. The Blazers still went on to win the doubles play.

This is a great confidence boost for the Blazers, who came off a 4-1 loss to the University of South Alabama Jaguars on last Sunday.

Clarke will be back in action on Sunday when her team heads home to George Ward Park in Birmingham, Alabama to play the Murray State University Racers (1-3).

Sierra Donaldson was not as fortunate as Clarke over in NCAA Division II action. Her Lee University Flames (2-2) team lost a nail-biter home duel 4-3 to the Carson-Newman University Eagles (3-1) at the DeVos Tennis Center in Cleveland, Tennessee.

After the Flames and the Eagles split the first two doubles matches, it was up to Donaldson and doubles partner Hayden Smith to give the team the win in the doubles. They played against Julia Speiser and Summer Reeves and fell in a grueling match, 7-6 (7-5).

In the singles, Donaldson had a tough time against Reeves. The Bahamian fell in two sets 6-2 and 6-3.

After starting the season 2-0, the Flames have now dropped two straight games. They will have this weekend off. Their next game is a Gulf Southern Conference (GSC) matchup against the University of West Georgia Wolves on Friday, March 5. That duel will be played at Sunset Hills Country Club in Carrollton, Georgia.

In action today will be Bahamian Abigail Simms as her team, the Indian Tech Warriors (5-0), goes up against the Bowling Green State University Falcons (2-2) at the Perrysburg Tennis Center in Bowling Green, Ohio.

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