Howard Payne opened American Southwest Conference play on April 8 at the Nabers Tennis Center, falling 7-0 to East Texas Baptist.

Despite the final scoreline, the Yellow Jackets competed with energy early in doubles play. The duo of G. Keeney-McCollough and Luke Flemming battled at the No. 1 position, while Riley Harker and Parker Hoel and the pairing of Eli Hall and Ben Mabry each showed flashes of strong net play and communication.

In singles action, G. Keeney-McCollough led the way with a competitive showing at the top spot, picking up three games in the opening set. Parker Hoel also found rhythm during his match at No. 4 singles, continuing to fight through long rallies. Across the lineup, the Yellow Jackets remained resilient, continuing to compete point-by-point against a deep East Texas Baptist squad.

Howard Payne will look to build on the experience as conference play continues.

Head Coach Josh Lopez said, "We faced a tough opponent today, but I thought our guys continued to compete and showed the right mindset throughout the match. There are things we can build on, and this group is going to keep working to improve as we move through conference play."