LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Louisiana Tech picked up four singles wins, including a three-setter in the clinching match, to help defeat New Mexico State, 4-3, on Friday afternoon at the NM State Tennis Center.
 
LA Tech's (9-4, 1-0 CUSA) first conference win of the season was secured thanks to Olga Bienzobas continuing her winning streak combined with the bottom of the lineup producing victories.
 
The home team, NM State (2-7, 0-1 CUSA), struck first by claiming the doubles point.  While Bienzobas and Alexia Romero won their fourth straight doubles match, 7-5 on court one, the Aggies picked up wins on courts two and three to go up 1-0 heading into singles.
 
The first singles match to finish was that of Zoie Epps at the No. 5 position.  The Bulldog freshman breezed past Valeriia Ivanovskaia 6-0, 6-4 to even the match up at 1-1, but the Aggies regained the lead with a straight-set win on court three.
 
LA Tech countered though as Tiffani Nash, fresh off the clinching point against in-state rival Northwestern State, won her fourth straight by downing Varvara Nikolaeva 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 4 position.  Following her was Bienzobas who won her 10th consecutive singles match, taking down Natsuki Nishimura 6-1, 6-4 at the top spot to give the 'Dogs a 3-2 edge.
 
NM State tied the team match up again at 3-all with a straight-set victory on court two, making court six the clinching match.  Romero dropped the first set to Whitney Moon, 2-6, but battled back to win sets two and three by scores of 6-3 and 6-2, respectively.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
Court 1 | Olga Bienzobas/Alexia Romero (TECH) def. Anna Pinaieva/Natsuki Nishimura (NMSU) 7-5
Court 2 | Valeriia Ivanovskaia/Dora Kurdi (NMSU) def. Tiffani Nash/Valentina Vasquez (TECH) 6-4
Court 3 | Whitney Moon/Lisa Zhu (NMSU) def. Ana Rodrigues/Zoie Epps (TECH) 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 2
 
Singles
Court 1 | Olga Bienzobas (TECH) def. Natsuki Nishimura (NMSU) 6-1, 6-4
Court 2 | Anna Pinaieva (NMSU) def. Ana Rodrigues (TECH) 7-6, 6-3
Court 3 | Lisa Zhu (NMSU) def. Valentina Vasquez (TECH) 6-2, 6-0
Court 4 | Tiffani Nash (TECH) def. Varvara Nikolaeva (NMSU) 6-1, 6-3
Court 5 | Zoie Epps (TECH) def. Valeriia Ivanovskaia (NMSU) 6-0, 6-4
Court 6 | Alexia Romero (TECH) def. Whitney Moon (NMSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 3, 4, 1, 2, 6
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amy Sargeant
 
"Today was not the best tennis, but it was all about grit and determination. It was one of those matches where you just have to hit one extra ball than your opponent.  Proud of the team in the way they fought.  It was great to see our freshman, Zoie, get a convincing win on court five to help us win this one."
 
NOTABLES

• With the victory, LA Tech now trails in the all-time series against New Mexico State, 2-4.  The Bulldogs have now won the last two meetings.
• LA Tech is now 3-1 this spring with matches decided by the score of 4-3.
• The Bulldogs have now won three straight dual matches, matching their season high.
• The Bulldogs have won three straight road matches.
• Olga Bienzobas improved to 12-1 in dual singles, winning her 10th straight (tied for the fifth longest streak since 2010, first Bulldog to do so since 2018).  It was also her 20th victory of the season (fall and spring combined).
• Alexia Romero improved to 10-2 in dual singles, reaching double-digit wins in a single season for the fourth time in her career.  She now has 48 career dual singles wins, the seventh most in program history.
• Tiffani Nash won her fifth straight dual singles match, improving to 9-3 this spring.
• Olga Bienzobas and Alexia Romero teamed up to win their fourth straight doubles match, improving to 7-6.  It marked the 47th career dual doubles win for Romero, tied for the second most in a single season in program history.
• With the doubles win, Bienzobas became the 11th Bulldog since 2010 to join the 40/40 club (40 singles and 40 doubles wins – fall and spring combined).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will head to El Paso, Texas tomorrow to take on the UTEP Miners.  First serve is set for 11 a.m. CT at the El Paso Tennis Club.
 
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