RUSTON – Louisiana Tech claimed two three-setters in singles to cap off a dramatic 4-3 victory over North Texas on a windy Saturday afternoon at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
LA Tech (7-2) continued its strong doubles play as of late to take the opening point and then combined that with hard-fought singles wins on courts one, three, and six to defeat North Texas (3-3) for the first time since 1986.
 
Ana Rodrigues and Zoie Epps came into the match having won four straight at the No. 1 position.  They made it five straight after pulling out a 6-4 victory. 
 
The Mean Green countered with a win at No. 3, meaning the crucial doubles point would come down to the No. 2 spot where Maria Tsironi and Alice Brook were taking on Lilly Schultz and Stanisla Shulzhenko.  The Bulldog freshmen rose to the occasion, breaking serve on the deuce point to also win, 6-4.
 
North Texas punched back though in singles, winning in straight sets on courts four and five to take a 2-1 advantage in the team match.  It was Brook again though for LA Tech coming up big, defeating Carolina Laydner 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 6 position to even things up at 2-all.
 
Meanwhile, the top three courts were all going to a third set.  The Mean Green captured the win at the No. 2 spot, giving them a 3-2 lead and one point away from winning their 14th straight over the Bulldogs.
 
Rodrigues and Tsironi did not allow that to happen.
 
Tsironi dropped the first set, 3-6 and was down 2-5 in the second set before storming back to win it in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (5), to force a third set in which she dominated, 6-1, to defeat Shulzhenko at No. 3. 
 
To her left was Rodrigues battling Gianna Pielet at the top position.  Rodrigues was on serve in the first set until she broke and held serve to go on top, 6-4.  The senior had a chance to serve out the match at 6-5 in the second but would lose it in a tiebreaker.  Up 4-3, she rattled off back-to-back games, putting the match away with an overhead slam.
 
QUOTABLES
Head coach Amy Sargeant
 
"Today's win came down to heart and grit.  This team thrived on physicality, toughness, and an unwavering will to win.  We knew going into the match it would probably come down to the doubles point.  Our focus was to play with confidence and to have a poach-first mindset.  Winning that doubles point carried the momentum over into singles, which we knew was going to be a battle."
 
"Splitting sets on courts two and three gave us back the momentum we earned after winning the doubles point.  This was crucial and evidently gave us a chance to win.  Ana and Maria showed what mental toughness looked like.  This was a great team victory and one we must continue to build on."
 
NOTABLES

• LA Tech snapped a 13-match losing streak to North Texas, claiming its first win in the series since 1986.
• The Bulldogs extended their winning streak to six matches, tied for the ninth-longest winning streak in program history.
• LA Tech is now 7-0 this season when winning the doubles point.
• Ana Rodrigues provided the clinching point for a second time this season.
• Ana Rodrigues and Zoie Epps teamed up for their fifth straight doubles victory.  For Rodrigues, it was her 41st career dual doubles win, tied for the seventh most in program history.
• Alice Brook has won five straight matches in dual singles while Maria Tsironi extended her winning streak to four matches.

UP NEXT
LA Tech continues its four-match home stand by taking on in-state rival ULM on Wednesday, Feb. 12.  First serve is set for 3 p.m. CT at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For all the latest in Bulldog Tennis, follow us on X (@LATechTennis), Instagram (@LATechTennis), and Facebook (LATechTennis).