RUSTON – Louisiana Tech closed out its regular season on Monday with a 7-0 shutout victory over crosstown foe Grambling State at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
LA Tech (18-5) was able to get back on track in doubles after dropping the opening point in each of the last four matches.  They got off to a 1-0 start against GSU (3-14) as Tiffani Nash and Najah Dawson made quick work of their opponents with a 6-0 victory on court two.
 
After the Lady Tigers collected a 6-2 win on court three, it came down to court one where Ana Rodrigues and Leonie Schuknecht won their 15th doubles match of the season, claiming a 6-4 victory.
 
The singles lineup was shaken up a bit, but LA Tech was still dominant.  The home team quickly grabbed their second point of the day after GSU's Brittney Combest retired on court one with Olga Bienzobas up 5-0.
 
The rest of the scoring came in waves.  Senior Najah Dawson provided the third point, defeating Lungile Ntuli by a score of 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 2 position.  The clinching point came on the back courts with Rodrigues outdueling Mikaila Coleman 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 5 spot.
 
Nash came next with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Georgina Kaindoah on court three.  Senior Ilana Tetruashvili followed suit with a 6-1, 6-0 victory against Izel Hernandez on court four.  Closing it out was Lara Unkovich who topped Claire Machisa by a final score of 6-4, 6-1.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amanda Stone
 
"Today capped off an absolutely incredible regular season.  What this team has accomplished this year with hard work, fight and belief is special.  It has not been easy, but our players have battled through it and earned all the success they have had.  I give a lot of credit to our seniors, Ilana and Najah, who both have been consistent in their on-court leadership.  We have counted on them many times and they have delivered many times.  I am proud of them and happy we had the opportunity to celebrate them today.  Now, we are going to turn our attention to the Conference USA Tournament where we will battle it out with North Texas on Thursday."
 
NOTABLES

• LA Tech picked up its 18th win of the season (doubling last season's win total), the second most in a single season in program history (record is 21 set in 1982).
• LA Tech remained undefeated all-time against Grambling State, improving to 51-0 in the crosstown series.
• LA Tech closed out its home slate with a 13-2 record at the LA Tech Tennis Complex, the most home victories in a single season in program history.
• The team now has 80 dual singles wins in the spring, tied for the second most in a season in program history (had 80 in 2014).
• LA Tech won its 14th doubles point of the spring, the most since 2016.
• Ilana Tetruashvili collected her 17th dual singles win, tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history (most since 2012).
• Ilana Tetruashvili now has 42 career dual singles wins, tied for the 10th most in program history.
• Olga Bienzobas picked up her 10th dual singles win of the season and her first from the No. 1 position.
• Freshman Ana Rodrigues provided the clinching point for the first time in her career.
• Lara Unkovich played and won her first dual singles match of the season.
• Ana Rodrigues and Leonie Schuknecht improved to 15-5 on the season in doubles, tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history.For Rodrigues, it is tied for the second most ever by a freshman.
• Tiffani Nash and Najah Dawson teamed up for their first dual doubles win of the spring.

UP NEXT
LA Tech earned the No. 7 seed and will face No. 10 seed North Texas on Thursday, April 21 in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament.  First serve is set for 9 a.m. CT at the Adams Tennis Complex in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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