BOONEVILLE – Former Northeast Mississippi Community College Lady Tiger tennis player Marcey Anne Sykes made an immediate splash for the Lady Lion tennis team of the University of North Alabama.

Sykes, who played two years at Northeast, helped the Lady Lions knock off West Georgia 8-1 in the season opener for the University of North Alabama tennis team and score an opening win in Gulf South Conference play as well on February 2.

“This was a good start for the women today,” said UNA head coach Brice Bishop. “We came out and played well enough to get a win early in the season. Madison and Marcey Anne did a great job of playing tough on big points in doubles play. I was especially proud of Marcey Anne for getting her first win as a UNA Lion.”

Sykes, an Iuka native, teamed with Madison Patey as the duo knocked off the Lady Wolf pair of Ravin Pugh and Kelly Arsenault 8-5 in the number three doubles match between the two schools.

With the 8-5 decision, Patey and Sykes helped the Lady Lions sweep the doubles matches and set the stage for the season-opening win.

Individual results for Sykes was not as favorable as Pugh defeated the Iuka native 6-2, 6-2.

Sykes and the rest of the University of North Alabama tennis team will be back in action on Saturday, February 9 when the Lady Lions travel to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock in Little Rock for an 11 a.m. match.

After road trips to Central Arkansas on Feb. 10, Lipscomb University on Feb. 16 and Belmont University on Feb. 23, Sykes and the rest of the Lady Lion Tennis team will play their first home bout against Christian Brothers University at 1 p.m. Sunday, February 24 in Florence.