RUSTON – Louisiana Tech saved some of its best tennis for the home finale, sweeping UAB and Grambling State, 4-1 and 7-0, on Saturday afternoon at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
Coming off two shutouts on the road, LA Tech (14-6) carried that momentum into the doubleheader where they dropped only two of the 21 completed sets played out between UAB (12-10) and GSU (1-15).
 
Former league foe UAB, fresh off a victory over 58th-ranked Wichita State, jumped out on top in the first match with wins on courts one and two in doubles.  The Bulldogs then jumped all over the Blazers in singles, claiming the first set on all six courts.
 
Senior Tiffani Nash evened up the team score, 1-1, by demolishing Vanessa Mellynchuk 6-0, 6-1 at the No. 4 position.  Giving LA Tech the lead was fellow senior Valentina Vasquez who was too much for Sydney Clarke, winning 6-2, 6-1 at the No. 3 spot.
 
Fifth-year senior Alexia Romero provided the third point for the Bulldogs with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Enya Ratkic at the No. 6 position.  Clinching the match was freshman Zoie Epps who battled back from being down 1-4 to defeating Annalisa Smith 6-4, 6-2 on court five. 
 
After celebrating Nash, Vasquez, and Olga Bienzobas in the senior day ceremony, LA Tech got right back to work against the Lady Tigers.  Winning by default on court three, the Bulldogs needed just one doubles win to take the opening point and that was provided by Bienzobas and Ana Rodrigues, winning all six games in a 6-0 victory on court one.
 
With GSU then defaulting on courts five and six, the four courts playing were made up of all the Bulldog seniors.  And they all won in convincing fashion.  Bienzobas claimed her 17th straight singles win with a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Claire Machisa at the No. 1 position.
 
Court neighbor Vasquez was next with a 6-0, 6-1 win versus Ekaterina Dziova at the No. 2 spot.  Romero overpowered Taku Mawisire by a score of 6-0, 6-2 at No. 4 and then wrapping up the sunny, windy day was Nash who got the better of Jovana Latinovich in a 6-0, 6-1 victory. 
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amy Sargeant
 
"I am extremely proud of how our team handled themselves and took care of business today.  It is never easy going into singles a point down, especially on a special day like today.  This whole season we have been talking about who we are and how we want to be remembered.  Today, we competed for something bigger than ourselves and left it all out there.  Culture won today."
 
NOTABLES

• With both wins, LA Tech extended its winning streak to four matches, tying its season high.  During the winning streak, the Bulldogs are a perfect 14-0 in singles matches played out.
• LA Tech now leads the all-time series over UAB, 8-6.  The Bulldogs have won six of the last seven meetings versus the Blazers.
• LA Tech now leads the all-time series over Grambling State, 55-0. 
• The Bulldogs improved to 14-6 on the season, tied for the ninth-most wins in a single season in program history.
• Olga Bienzobas improved to 18-1 in singles, winning her 17th straight match.  The 18 wins is tied for the fourth most in a single season in program history.
• Tiffani improved to 13-4 in singles, winning her fourth straight.  The senior has won nine of her last 10 matches.
• Alexia Romero improved to 14-3 in singles, bringing her career total to 52 wins which is tied for the third most in program history.
• Valentina Vasquez extended her singles winning streak to three matches.
• Zoie Epps reached double-digit wins, improving to 10-8 in dual singles.

UP NEXT
LA Tech will close out the regular season next weekend with road matches at Kansas State and Wichita State.
 
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