The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

SYDNEY Clarke and her University at Alabama-Birmingham Blazers pulled off their fifth straight victory on Sunday by knocking off Tulane Green Waves 4-3 at the George Ward Park in Birmingham.

This is UAB’s second consecutive victory over Tulane, the first coming last season when the Blazers defeated the Green Wave for the first time in almost 20 years.

Clarke was not a part of the team last year, but the 19-year-old freshman took delight in their latest triumph.

“Today was a roller coaster of emotions,” Clarke told The Tribune.

“It wasn’t easy. Sometimes, it got stressful, especially at critical moments, but overall, my team-mates and I fought hard and we kept pushing and we got the results that we wanted.”

She noted that in order for them to continue to improve as they hiked their win-loss record to 7-5 on the season, they had to stay positive and continue to be mentally tough, even when as she states: “the odds are against us. We just need to know that once we are strong physically and mentally, they could do it.”

In contributing to the team’s success over the Green Waves, Clarke secured a 6-2, 6-4 win over Kristen Borland.

“I gave myself a challenge. I had to find my groove, but when I did, I fought it at the end of the first set,” she reflected. “In the second set, I kind of eased up a bit and in a tie breaker, I was able to gather myself to prepare myself.

“It was up and down, really bumpy, but overall, I was able to get through it mentally. That was what pulled me through, I was mentally tough and I fought my way back.”

In doubles, Clarke teamed up with Jana Hecking, who made her season debut coming out of quarantine, but they lost as Borland got some revenge and her and Green Waves’ partner, Adelaide Lavery, clinched a 6-2 decision.

“To go out there and to develop the chemistry that we had was pretty good,” Clarke pointed out. “It felt great. We gelled well together. We were able to keep it simple.

“We didn’t miss as much as we were doing in the past. We were really right on it, which was very nice. It was great to finally play with one of my team-mates, who was out all this time.”

UAB returns to George Ward Park on Thursday as the Green and Gold takes on the University of Tennessee-Martin and Clarke is looking for the streak to continue.

“If we keep this up, we will be ranked when it comes to the playoffs, so it would be nice to be ranked,” said Clarke of the Conference USA Championships, scheduled for April 22-25.

“It would give us the opportunity to have an advantage in the draw.

“So we are hoping to keep the momentum, keep on fighting as we take on these teams and get as many matches in so when the conference comes around, we can get into the finals.”

Following this week’s action, Clarke and the Blazers will have about six more matches to help get them prepared for the conference championships.