HOUSTON – After almost a three-hour weather delay, Louisiana Tech was able to claim a pair of singles wins but ended up falling, 5-2, to former conference foe Rice on Sunday afternoon at the George R. Brown Tennis Complex.
 
While Zoie Epps and Tiffani Nash were in a 4-4 tie against Nithesa Selvaraj and Divna Ratkovic on court three in doubles, Rice (2-4) was able to claim the doubles point with wins of 6-2 and 6-3 on courts one and two, respectively.
 
The Owls were then able to clinch the match in singles, taking straight-set victories on courts two, three, and five.  The remaining three courts were all up for grabs though.
 
One of those was at the top position between Olga Bienzobas and Federica Trevisan.  Both players entered the matchup riding a four-match winning streak.  While Trevisan claimed the first set 6-2, Bienzobas was able to hold off the Owl, building a 5-2 lead before forcing a third set tiebreaker with a 6-4 second-set win.
 
In a race to 10 points, Bienzobas got up 4-2 before Trevisan reeled off four straight points to gain a two-point advantage.  Still down two points at 6-8, Bienzobas was able to turn it around before winning, 10-8, after Trevisan's forehand went wide. 
 
The Owls picked up their fifth point at the No. 4 spot as Chie Kezuka was able to fight off two set points from Tiffani Nash to win the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6, and then the second set, 6-3.
 
LA Tech (5-3) had one more point up for grabs at the No. 6 position and they got it from Alexia Romero.  The fifth-year senior also forced a third-set tiebreaker after winning the second set, 6-4, following a first-set loss of 2-6.  She would ultimately take it, 10-7, after an ace on a let ball fell into the service box.
 
NOTABLES

• Olga Bienzobas improved to 7-1 in dual singles this season, having won five straight.  She is now 15-4 overall in singles.
• Alexia Romero claimed her 44th career dual singles win, tied for the ninth most in program history.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will be back in action tomorrow to take on Houston.  First serve is set for 11 a.m. at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility.
 
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