CONWAY, Ark. – The Louisiana Tech Tennis team continued its hot start to the fall season, winning six singles flights at the UCA Fall Invitational against regional opponents this weekend at the Conway Tennis Center.
 
Facing challengers from Central Arkansas, Oral Roberts, Southeastern Louisiana, and Northwestern State at the two-day event, LA Tech dominated the field by putting together a team singles record of 21-5.
 
Leonie Schuknecht, Olga Bienzobas, Najah Dawson, Ilana Tetruashvili, Tiffani Nash and Ana Rodrigues all went undefeated in singles in route to winning their flight.
 
After picking up impressive victories over Arkansas and Northern Arizona at last weekend's Tulsa Invitational, Schuknecht ran her winning streak to five after going 3-0 with victories over ORU (4-6, 6-4, 1-0), NSU (6-1, 6-3) and UCA (7-6, 6-4) in the top flight.
 
Bienzobas did the same, extending her winning streak to five straight with a 3-0 singles performance that included victories against ORU (6-2, 7-6), SLU (7-5, 6-2) and UCA (6-0, 3-6, 1-0) at the No. 2 flight.
 
After having one opponent default, Dawson needed just two wins to take the No. 3 flight with overpowering, straight-set wins versus ORU (6-0, 6-4) and NSU (6-2, 6-1).  Tetruashvili also had an opponent defaulted, but cruised to straight-set victories over SLU (6-3, 6-1) and NSU (6-4, 6-2) to claim the No. 4 flight. 
 
Nash made quick work of all three of her opponents in the No. 5 flight, surrendering just eight total games with wins over NSU (6-3, 6-0), UCA (6-1, 6-1) and ORU (6-3, 6-0).
 
The sixth flight won by the Lady Techsters was by Rodrigues who only gave up nine total games in route to victories against UCA (6-0, 6-1), UCA (6-2, 6-3) and SLU (6-0, 6-3).
 
Alexia Romero and Valentina Vazquez nearly helped LA Tech pull off a clean sweep of every singles flight with both players going 2-1.   
 
After only being able to pick up one doubles victories in the first fall tournament, the Lady Techsters showed improvement with their revamped lineup by going a combined 5-8.  Schuknecht/Dawson and Romero/Tetruashvili each secured two wins.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amanda Stone
 
"We are really happy with our singles continuing to be really strong.  It was one of the best showings we have ever had at this tournament, winning six flights.  I really like how we are competing in singles this early.  Meanwhile, we showed improvement in doubles.  We are not quite there yet, but that is going to continue to be a focus of ours as we look forward to playing in the ITA Southern Regionals."
 
NOTABLES

• LA Tech went a combined 21-5 in singles and 5-8 in doubles.
• Leonie Schuknecht and Olga Bienzobas improved their singles winning streaks to five by going 3-0 in Conway.
• Ilana Tetruashvili became the fourth LA Tech player in the last 10 years to register 50 career singles wins and 50 career doubles wins (fall and spring combined).
• Olga Bienzobas won her 20th career singles match at LA Tech (fall and spring combined).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will head south to take part in the ITA Southern Regionals, hosted by LSU in Baton Rouge.  The tournament will start on Oct. 13.
 
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