EL PASO, Texas – Louisiana Tech won its third road match in seven days, shutting out UTEP by a final score of 4-0 on Saturday at the El Paso Tennis Club.
 
While the previous two road victories this week went down to the final match on court, LA Tech (10-4, 2-0 CUSA) made quick work of UTEP (2-9, 0-1 CUSA) to reach double-digit wins while also sweeping the two league matches.
 
The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first by clinching the doubles point.  The new tandem of Ana Rodrigues and Zoie Epps partnered up for their first victory together, winning 6-1 on court three. 
 
With the Miners claiming the doubles match on court two, it came down to court one where Olga Bienzobas and Alexia Romero were in a dogfight.  After sprinting out in front, 4-0, the duo had to dig deep to pull out a 7-5 win for the opening point.
 
Three of these four Bulldogs were also responsible for winning three singles matches.  To no surprise, Bienzobas continued to dominate at the No. 1 position.  The senior won her 11th straight, overpowering Carlotta Mencaglia 6-1, 6-1 to make it 2-0 in favor of the visitors.
 
The freshman Epps seems to have found a groove in singles, providing the third point for LA Tech with a 7-5, 6-1 win versus Paloma Hennicaux at the No. 5 spot.  Then it was her court neighbor, Romero, who secured the clinching point for a second straight day, defeating Emma Jewell 6-3, 6-3 at No. 6.
 
When the match was stopped, Rodrigues was up a game in the third on court two, Valentina Vasquez was two games away from a win on court three, and Tiffani Nash had just split sets at No. 4.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
C1 | Olga Bienzobas/Alexia Romero (TECH) def. Zuzanna Szczepanska/Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 7-5
C2 | Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Tiffani Nash/Valentina Vasquez (TECH) 6-2
C3 | Ana Rodrigues/Zoie Epps (TECH) def. Elena Dibattista/DeCora Antoine (UTEP) 6-1
 
Singles
C1 | Olga Bienzobas (TECH) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-1, 6-1
C2 | Ana Rodrigues (TECH) vs. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 1-6, 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
C3 | Valentina Vasquez (TECH) vs. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) 6-2, 5-5, unfinished
C4 | Tiffani Nash (TECH) vs. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) 2-6, 6-3, unfinished
C5 | Zoie Epps (TECH) def. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 7-5, 6-1
C6 | Alexia Romero (TECH) def. Emma Jewell (UTEP) 6-3, 6-3
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amy Sargeant
 
"Today, we stepped up and competed like winners.  Playing back-to-back requires mental and physical persistence and that is exactly how we approached the day.  Winning a convincing doubles point provided us with confidence going into singles.  Every court stepped up playing fearless, competitive tennis."
 
NOTABLES

• With the win, LA Tech now leads the all-time series over UTEP, 4-3.  The Bulldogs have won four straight over the miners, including two consecutive shutout victories.
• LA Tech collected its 10th victory of the season.  The Bulldogs have won double-digit matches in 11 of the last 14 seasons.
• The Bulldogs are now a combined 48-16 over the last 2+ seasons, including 7-2 in CUSA matches.
• LA Tech won its fourth straight road match, tied for the third longest streak in program history.
• The Bulldogs have won four straight, its longest winning streak of the season.
• Olga Bienzobas improved to 13-1 in dual singles.  The senior has now won 11 straight, tied for the third longest streak since 2010.
• Zoie Epps improved to 7-7 in dual singles, having won three of her last four matches.
• Alexia Romero improved to 11-2 in dual singles.  It marked career win No. 49, tied for the fifth most in program history.
• Olga Bienzobas and Alexia Romero won their fifth straight dual doubles match, improving to 8-6.  For Romero, it was career dual doubles win No. 48, the second most in program history.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will now head to the west coast where they will take on Cal State Northridge (March 4) and Cal State Fullerton (March 6).
 
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