TULSA, Okla. – Louisiana Tech had a strong showing in its 2023 season opener, defeating Wyoming by a final score of 6-1 in their first of three matches in the Hurricane Invite at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
 
LA Tech (1-0) and Wyoming (0-1) squared off for the fifth straight season at the four-team, round robin event that kicks off the spring slate.  And the trajectory continues to go the way of the Lady Techsters.
 
The Cowgirls prevailed in the first three meetings, winning 7-0 in 2019, 5-1 in 2020, and 5-2 in 2021.  After closing the gap year-by-year, the Lady Techsters go over the hump with a 4-3 win to open the 2022 season. 
 
And on Saturday, LA Tech made the gap even farther in its favor by sweeping the three doubles matches and claiming five of the six singles courts.
 
With new doubles lineups that formed towards the end of the fall season, all three duos produced victories.  The tandem of Alexia Romero and Valentina Vazquez notched the first victory as Vazquez served it out to win 6-3 on court three.
 
Next was Olga Bienzobas holding serve at love with her partner Ana Rodrigues to clinch the doubles point with a 7-5 win on court two.  Then came the sweep with a 7-6 (6) victory on court one by Najah Dawson and Leonie Schuknecht, a win that included fighting off a match point.
 
The singles wins then came one after the other, starting with Schuknecht downing Maria Oreshkina by a score of 7-5, 6-2.  Schuknecht was down 4-5 in the first set, but won nine of the next 11 games to be victorious at the top spot against Oreshkina who was selected for the qualifying portion of the ITA All-Americas in the fall.
 
Bienzobas was down even more so at the No. 2 spot, dropping the first set 1-6.  The junior regrouped though, losing only two more games the rest of the way in route to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sophie Zehender.
 
The clinching point came from the No. 3 position where Dawson split sets with Noesjka Brink, ultimately taking it 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.  Insurance points came from court four where Tiffani Nash was too much for Violetta Borodina, winning 6-2, 6-0, and court six where Alexia Romero came out on top, 6-4, 6-4, against Ana Fernandez.
 
After a brief break, LA Tech and Tulsa played out its six singles matches.  The Golden Hurricane, who were consistently ranked in the top 50 last season, proved to be a tough matchup for the Lady Techsters.
 
The host team claimed five singles wins, but not the one at the No. 1 position.  That one was won by Schuknecht.  After losing the three previous meetings against Tulsa's Laia Conde Monfort who was the AAC Player of the Year and ranked as high as No. 91 in the country last season, Schuknecht came out on the winning end Saturday afternoon with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory.   
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amanda Stone
"It was an awesome way to start the season.  It had been a while since we had our doubles teams together so it was nice to sweep Wyoming there.  I think we are going to keep improving in that area as the season goes along.  Then, the top of the lineup took care of business in singles.  Olga settled in after that first set and refocused.  Leonie played tough today.  All the games were really tight.  She just did a really good job of absorbing runs by her opponents.  We are going to try to take it to Tulsa in doubles and then try to get that first point against Omaha because it gives you so much momentum going into singles.  We want to finish strong." 
 
Leonie Schuknecht
"I am playing with confidence.  The atmosphere was great today and it is the best feeling being able to compete for me and my team.  I have been working to take that next step to beat these top players.  This is a very special team with great and competitive players.  I am really excited for this year and what is to come."
 
NOTABLES

• With the 6-1 win, LA Tech now trails Wyoming, 2-3, in the all-time series.
• LA Tech has won its season opener in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1997-98.
• Leonie Schuknecht reached 20 dual singles victories with her two wins on Saturday, all coming from the No. 1 position.
• Leonie Schuknecht registered her 40th career doubles win (fall/spring combined).
• In the six matches all-time against Tulsa, Leonie Schuknecht's win was only the second one ever by LA Tech.
• Alexia Romero picked up her 35th career dual singles win on Saturday.
• Ana Rodrigues improved to 16-6 for her career in dual doubles.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will close out its dual match with Tulsa on Sunday at 9 a.m. with doubles.  Following doubles, the Lady Techsters will face Omaha in their third and final opponent of the Hurricane Invite.
 
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