Feb. 10, 2011
RUSTON, La. - Louisiana Tech will open its home tennis schedule on Friday as it hosts Southern at 1:30 at the Louisiana Tech Tennis Complex.
The Lady Techsters then host Central Arkansas at 10 a.m. on Saturday before playing at Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.
"I just wish it was a little warmer," said Tech head coach Quinton Yray. "We should have fairly competitive matches this weekend."
History shows otherwise as two years ago Central Arkansas beat Louisiana Tech 7-0 and then last year it was Tech that shutout UCA 7-0. This season, the Sugar Bears are 0-3 following a loss to UALR.
Tech will be looking to avenge a narrow 4-3 loss to Southern last season. The Lady Jaguars will be playing with some confidence this weekend as they are coming off their first-ever win over Southern Miss on Saturday in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Stephen F. Austin is 3-0 under first year head coach Patrick Sullivan. It is the Ladyjacks' best start since prior to the 2000 season.
"SFA on Sunday is going to be a little tougher," Yray said. "We matchup decent, but they might be slightly stronger than us right now without Vivian ten Dolle."
Ten Dolle, last year's No. 1 singles player and second-team all-Western Athletic Conference performer, must sit out until Feb. 24 to become eligible after enrolling at Tech mid-year.
Tech is 0-1 after dropping its season opener to Jacksonville State 5-2 on Jan. 29. Sophomore Elne Barnard earned a point for the Lady Techsters as she won her No. 1 singles match and is 1-0 on the season.
Sophomore Alena Erofeyeva (1-0) won her No. 6 singles match and then paired up with Melanie Urvoy to win their No. 2 doubles match.
Check back at LATechSports.com for the latest Lady Techster tennis news and results.
