RUSTON – Louisiana Tech had a strong showing in its home opener on Saturday morning, shutting out Stephen F. Austin by a score of 7-0 at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
LA Tech (3-1) lost only one set the entire day, clinching the doubles point on courts one and three and then sweeping all six singles courts with only one going to a third set.
 
Leonie Schuknecht and Najah Dawson set the tone for the match, cruising to a 6-0 victory at the No. 1 spot.  Alexia Romero and Valentina Vazquez following by putting LA Tech up 1-0 with a 6-3 win at No. 3.
 
SFA (1-1) jumped out to early leads on the majority of the singles courts, including a 4-1 advantage on court four.  However, Tiffani Nash turned things around and ended up defeating Zala Ule, 6-4, 6-1, to make it a 2-0 advantage for the Lady Techsters.
 
The third point came from Olga Bienzobas who won in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 over Alkmini Giannakogiorgou on court two.  Not long after, the clinching point came on court six where Ilana Tetruashvili collected her 43rd career dual singles win, this one a 6-3, 6-3 victory versus Carolina Chiatta.
 
Remaining undefeated in spring singles was reigning Conference USA Player of the Week Leonie Schuknecht.  The junior battled back from down 4-5 to claim the first set, 7-5.  She then needed a tiebreaker to finish off Ksenia Mamontova, winning it 7-6 (5) on court one.
 
SFA's Jemma Dave got the upper hand on court three, picking up the first set, 6-3.  However, Najah Dawson countered by winning sets two and three both by scores of 6-4. 
 
The last match of the day was a grinder between Alexia Romero and Felicia Back on court five.  Romero ended up outlasting the Ladyjack, 7-6 (7), 7-5 to make it a clean sweep for LA Tech.  
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amanda Stone
 
"It was a solid win for our home opener.  It was not our best, prettiest tennis, but I am proud that our team found a way to win on all the courts.  It is always great to win at home in front of our fans.  This team has a lot of fight and we showed that today."
 
NOTABLES

• With the 7-0 victory, LA Tech has now won eight of the last nine meetings versus Stephen F. Austin.
• It marked the third career shutout for LA Tech against SFA (first since 2019).
• LA Tech has now won four straight home openers.
• Over the last decade, LA Tech is 57-13 at home.
• LA Tech improved to 18-6 in dual singles this spring.
• Ilana Tetruashvili won her 60th career singles match (fall and spring combined).
• Ilana Tetruashvili claimed her 43rd career dual singles win, tied for the eighth most in program history.
• Leonie Schuknecht remained undefeated in dual singles (now 4-0).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will be back at home on Saturday, Jan. 28 to play a doubleheader against Dillard and Missouri State.  First serve is set for 11 a.m. at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
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