BATON ROUGE – It was another successful fall tournament for the Louisiana Tech women's tennis team as they collected 13 total victories at the highly competitive ITA Southern Regionals hosted by LSU at the LSU Tennis Complex.
 
Facing some of the top players throughout the south, LA Tech picked up wins over players from Troy, McNeese State, UL-Lafayette, Southern Miss, Tulane, South Alabama, Mississippi State, LSU, Jacksonville State throughout their four days at the event that field over 125 players.
 
Starting with the main singles draw, Olga Bienzobas was the lone Lady Techster having to play in the Round of 128 and she outlasted Carla Urchoeguia of UL-Lafayette 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 to advance in the bracket.
 
She made quick work of Alyssa Richter of Southern Miss, winning 6-1, 6-3 to reach the Round of 32.  She would be joined by Tiffani Nash who disposed of Delien Kleinhans (South Alabama) 6-1, 6-1 as well as Leonie Schuknecht who notched another huge win this fall with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 comeback victory over 12-seeded Lahar Yelamanchili (Tulane) who was the Louisiana Player of the Year last season.
 
All three put up incredible efforts in the Round of 32.  Nash was bested by Kelsey Mize (Ole Miss) 6-4, 6-2, Schuknecht fell short in her comeback effort against Lillian Gabrielsen (Ole Miss) 6-1, 7-6 and Bienzobas gave the No. 1 seed Emma Antonaki (Mississippi State) all she could handle in a 6-4, 6-3 setback (most games taken off of the top player in the field through the quarterfinals).
 
Ana Rodrigues was close to qualifying for the main draw with back-to-back victories versus Chiara Dabarno (Troy) 7-5, 6-2 and Tiana Fox (McNeese State) 6-2, 6-2.  After suffering a loss in the qualifier finals, she bounced back to claim her third win of the tourney in the back draw, a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Dariana Prato (Jacksonville State).  
 
Valentina Vazquez and Alexia Romero both notched multiple wins within the qualifiers and back draw.  Vazquez bested Maddie Bemisderfer (Mississippi State) and Cora Barner (Tulane) while Romero defeated Aina Domingo Bernabeu (McNeese State) Nina Geissler (LSU).  Nash also tallied another singles win, outdueling Enya Ratic (UAB) in the back draw.
 
In doubles, Schuknecht/Rodrigues picked up the lone LA Tech win with an 8-3 victory against Raquin/Yoshimura of UL-Lafayette.  Romero and Ilana Tetruashvili did advance to the Round of the 32 as well with a walkover.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amanda Stone
 
"I think we continued with strong play in this high level tournament and held our own versus some of the best in the south.  Leonie and Olga were especially impressive in singles.  I am really proud we had them and Tiffani advance into Saturday.  Alexia and Ana both had big wins in the qualifiers and back draw.  All in all, this team has a lot to look forward to for the spring.  We proved to ourselves that every time we walked onto the court this weekend, we belonged with these teams.  We need to keep working hard and stay on target with our goals."
 
NOTABLES

• It marked just the second time in program history that LA Tech had three players reach the Round of 32 of the singles main draw.
• Olga Bienzobas ran her winning streak to seven with victories in the Round of 128 and Round of 64.Her seven wins this fall is a team high.
• Leonie Schuknecht registered her 30th career singles win (fall and spring).
• Ana Rodrigues posted a team-high three singles wins in the event

UP NEXT
LA Tech plays its final tournament of the fall season when they host the LA Tech Invitational on Nov. 12-13 at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
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