Feb. 24, 2011

RUSTON - A week after downing Southeastern Louisiana, the Louisiana Tech tennis team will face another in-state opponent in Northwestern State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Natchitoches.

The Lady Techsters defeated the Lady Lions 4-3 last Saturday to improve to 3-2 on the season. That 3-2 record is impressive considering Tech has been without last season's all-Western Athletic Conference performer and No. 1 singles player Vivian ten Dolle. That will change on Saturday as ten Dolle becomes eligible to play in her first match of the season.

That allows Elne Barnard, which has an impressive 3-2 record at No. 1 singles this season, to slide into the No. 2 singles position.

The Lady Techsters will need all their weapons as Northwestern State enters the contest with a 4-1 record including a 6-1 win over Houston last Sunday. The Lady Demons only defeat was a 5-2 loss to ULM.

NSU is led in singles by Olga Bazhanova. The junior from the Ukraine is 3-1 on the season in No. 1 singles.

Last season, Northwestern State shutout Louisiana Tech 7-0 in Ruston, its first of 22 wins that led the Lady Demons a Southland Conference Championship and a birth to the NCAA Tournament.