TENNIS Experience Key To Bisons'Success In comparison to the previous year's ac· complishments, the 1982 Harding tennis team seemed to slip somewhat. After all, they were the defending Arkansas Intercollegiate Comference champions, and fared well in the national championships in the 1981 campaign. But the 1982 team was possibly the best tennis contingent ever assembled at Harding. Although they didn't repeat as AIC champions, they virtually became unbeatable and cruised to an overall 18-4 record. Experience was the key to the successful season. Paced by a young and exuberant coach in David Elliott, the Bison netters returned seven men with time on the Bison courts in the past, and some strong freshmen and transfers strengthened the club. Junior David Redding consistently played at the number one position for the .second consecutive year, and he was backed by freshman Nigel liverpool. A native of the small island of St. Vincent in the West Indies, liverpool had experience at the international level and was a welcomed addition by Elliott. Other experienced players included sophomores Nathan Malone and Ke ith Mays, junior Rex Fowler and seniors Tim Tucker, Tommy Tabor and Eric Dawkins. Transfer Kent Casey entered the scheme as well as junior Rees Lloyd and freshmen Charles Dismuke and Jeff Cook. Battling down opponents throughout the season, the Bisons slipped one time, thus costing them the conference crown. Southern 138/Tennis Arkansas University capitalized on Harding's bad day to take a 5~4 decision and scar the Bison's AIC record with one blem ish. SAU went on to an undefeated conference mark, thus claiming the trophy. "We just couldn't win the close ones that we had to win," Elliott said after the match. "Nigel played a long singles match and then he and Redding were worn out in their doubles match. It was a tough loss but we played fairly well. Southern Arkansas has a fine team." After clinching the second spot in the A IC race with a 6-1 record, the Bisons regrouped for the NAJA District 17 playoffs. Battling a tough John Brown University team, as well as the AIC schools, the Bisons edged out JBU by one point for the title. Redding took the number one singles spot by defeating J BU's Jimmy Carr, 6·4, 3·6, 7·6. Liverpool defeated Mark Payne of SAU, 7·6, 4-6, 6-3, for the sec· ond singles title. Other titles in the tournament incl uded Malone's win at number five and Tabor's vic~ tory at the sixth sing les spot. Redding and liverpool fell to Carr-Weaver of John Brown at the number one doubles position, but Casey and Tabor got revenge by defeating Blackburn and Samuelson of JBU at the third doubles spot. In national competition, Redding and Malone advanced to the third round before falling. Redding lost to Jeff Bramblett of Southwest Texas, who was the defending na~ tional champion, while Malone bowed to Chuck Nunn of Southwest Texas, the number three seed. Redding and Liverpoo l earned AII~AIC distinction for their play. Elliott was selected as the AIC and NAIA District 17 Coach of the Year for the third consecutive time. ~ 1~82 AIC TENNIS RESULTS Southern Arkansas University 7·0 Harding University 6-1 Ouachita Baptist University 5-2 Arkansas Tech University 4-3 University of Central Arkansas 3-4 Hendrix College 2-5 University of Arkansas-Monticello 1-6 Co ll ege of the Ozarks 0-7
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