196SPRING ATHLETICS The Carpenter triplets find a common passion on the tennis courts. SENIORS ALLISON, EMILY AND LINDY Carpenter were triplets who shared a love for tennis from a young age. “Our older brother started playing tennis first, and then the three of us got into it as well,” Emily Carpenter said. “We lived about a mile away from a tennis academy back home, and so it was really easy and convenient to play tennis.” While the Carpenter triplets all furthered their athletic and academic careers at Harding, that wasn’t always the plan. “We weren’t originally planning to go to school together,” Lindy Carpenter said. “We were going to find schools that we each individually liked the best.” With deciding to play for the same team came the inevitable aspect of competition. Although the triplets would have to play against one another, they knew victory was not the most important thing. “We never really had any problems facing each other, and it was honestly kind of funny sometimes,” Allison Carpenter said. “We care more about playing tennis and having fun than actually really trying to beat the other person.” Their love for tennis and friendly competition extended beyond the matches and into practice. “It’s basically almost like a competition,” Emily Carpenter said. “When we run the mile, it’s almost like a race because you don’t want the other person to beat you. There are days where you don’t really want to go to practice, and my sisters help me and keep me motivated because in the end it’s going to be worth it to play well and help the team.” As the Carpenter triplets finished their senior year, they had each other to help face any obstacles that came their way. Overall, they were grateful with their decision to all play on the Harding tennis team. “It’s basically like having your best friends with you all the time, and they’re always there to support you no matter what,” Emily Carpenter said. WRITTEN BY JACKSON SAYLOR HOT SHOT Senior Lindy Carpenter prepares to volley a return at the David Elliott Tennis Complex. Carpenter said that competing against her sisters in practice was a fun experience. Photo by: Kaitlyn Cutshall
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