RUSTON – The Louisiana Tech tennis team experienced highs and lows on Saturday at the Ruston Sports Complex, shutting out Incarnate Word in the morning matchup but falling 4-3 to Arkansas State in the afternoon. 
 
The doubles point was a big key in both matches. LA Tech (8-7) started off strong against Incarnate Word (3-4) by grabbing the opening point and cruising to a 4-0 victory.  However, Arkansas State (1-3) secured the doubles point which ended up being the difference after a three-three split of singles.
 
"I think we can take away one huge lesson from this weekend and that is how incredibly important the doubles point is," said head coach Amanda Stone.  "We are really playing well in singles, but it's a big ask to win four of six in every close match.  We are playing a challenging schedule and that cushion going into singles matters in these tight matches.
 
"Getting our teams to consistently perform in doubles will definitely be a focus in practice going forward.  All in all, we are playing hard as a team so hopefully these past few matches serve as a wake-up call for us to really kick up the intensity and energy in doubles."
 
After winning by default on court three against the Cardinals, Ana Jover and Claudia Oravcova made it 1-0 in favor of the Lady Techsters after a 6-2 win on court two. 
 
LA Tech then needed just two singles wins because of a default at the No. 6 spot and they got the two from the top of the lineup.  Jover, playing her first career match at the top spot, downed Jelena Dordan by a score of 6-2, 6-3.
 
Clinching it was Nadja Manjon at No. 2 as the senior overpowered Alejandra Landaluce 6-0, 6-2.  Ilana Tetruashvili and Alexia Romero were both up a set in their respective matches when it was called. 
 
Jover and Oravcova teamed up again to produce a 6-2 win in doubles, making it eight straight victories together and improving to 11-4 on the spring.  However, the Red Wolves got wins of 6-3 and 7-6 on courts one and three to open up the scoring.
 
It was back-and-forth affair in singles.  A-State made it 2-0 with a straight-sets win at No. 1, but Jover got the Lady Techsters a point at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph over Shelby King for her fourth straight in the win column. 
 
Oravcova tied things up at 2-2 after downing Amelia Guevremont by a final score of 6-1, 6-4 from the No. 6 position.  After the Red Wolves pulled out a win at No. 3 in three sets, Romero evened things up again with a 6-4, 7-5 win against Jill Morse at No. 4. 
 
The final match was on court five where Andrea Perez-Lopez took the first set 6-4, but Shannon O'Brien rallied to take the second set 6-4 and the third set 6-3.
 
LA Tech will end its four-game home stand on Friday, Feb. 28 when they host in-state foe Southern. 
 
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