Clarke, Donaldson experience action in college tennis

Bahamian collegiate tennis players Sydney Clarke and Sierra Donaldson were in action in the sport over the 

weekend. They helped their respective schools to win their dual events and continue a winning streak.

Playing their final dual event of the season were Clarke and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Blazers (13-6, 3-1 Conference USA) on Friday afternoon on their home courts. They managed to get a 4-1 victory over the Middle Tennessee University Red Raiders (10-10, 2-5 Conference USA) at the George Ward Park in Birmingham, Alabama, in a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I matchup. This was their fifth straight victory.

The game was set for Saturday but due to a bad weather forecast, it was pushed up to Friday afternoon. Still, it was delayed by over three hours. When the games got underway, the teams had to forego the doubles portion of the event.

In singles, Clarke was able to close out the regular season with her fifth straight win. The freshman had a tough three-set match against Noelle Mauro. In the first set, Clarke was blanked, losing 6-0 as she could not get into a groove. In the second set, Clarke showed her mental toughness as she took down Mauro 6-2. As expected, Mauro gave Clarke a tough time in the third set. Clarke, having the 

momentum, took down 

Mauro in that set, 6-4, to win the match, 0-6, 6-2 and 6-4.

Donaldson and the Lee University Flames (8-4, 5-3 Gulf South Conference) were in action on Sunday when they went on the road to play the University of Montevallo Falcons (4-10, 2-6 Gulf South Conference) in NCAA Division II action. The Flames took down the Falcons, 4-3, for their third straight victory.

Donaldson won her singles matchup against Victoria Rauscher. She won in straight sets, 6-3 and 6-2. However, she and her doubles partner Carley Sickinger lost to Courtney Piltaver and Rauscher, 6-4. The Flames lost the doubles matchup.

Donaldson and the Flames played the Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) Warhawks yesterday in a dual matchup, but the result was unavailable up to press time. That event was played at the AUM Tennis Complex, in Montgomery, Alabama.

Next up for Clarke and the Blazers will be the Conference USA Tennis Championships set for April 25 to May 1. That event will be hosted by the North Texas University Mean Green at the Waranch Tennis Complex in Denton, Texas.

Another Bahamian collegiate tennis player, Abigail Simms, did not experience action on Friday afternoon in the Indiana Tech Warriors’ 6-1 win against the University of Northwestern Ohio Racers. The Warriors took on the Holy Cross College Saints in a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) battle on their home courts at the Wildwood Racquet Club in Fort Wayne, Indiana, yesterday but the result was unavailable up to press time.

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