STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Louisiana Tech wrapped up its lone four-match road trip on Sunday, falling 4-1 to Tarleton State on a chilly and windy afternoon at the Tarleton Tennis Facility.
 
LA Tech (10-5) was able to get an early win during singles play, but TSU (9-3) stayed undefeated with the doubles point plus three victories in singles.
 
The tandem of Ana Rodrigues and Zoie Epps claimed the first win of the day, prevailing 6-1 at the No. 1 spot over Maretha Burger and Emma Persson, handing the Texans duo just their second loss of the spring.
 
After TSU registered a 6-1 win of its own at the No. 2 position, the doubles point came down to court three between Mio Kozaki/Nina Skoric and Clara Sobius/Maria Castano.  With the match on serve, the Bulldogs were broken to go down 5-3 but had two break points to get back on serve.  However, the Texans closed it out to go up 1-0 in the team match.
 
TSU took a 2-0 lead with the first completed singles match coming on court three.  Epps sliced that deficit in half though as the sophomore delivered a commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory against previous unbeaten Duru Kuscu at No. 2.
 
The remaining four courts were neck-and-neck.  Rodrigues was able to fight back from 3-0 down to win the first set, 7-5, on court one.  Meanwhile, the Texans narrowly pulled out singles wins by scores of 7-5, 7-6, and 6-4.  They would ultimately get their other two points with straight-set wins on courts four and six.
 
NOTABLES

• With the loss, the series is now tied between LA Tech and Tarleton State, 2-2.
• Ana Rodrigues and Zoie Epps teamed up to claim their team-leading ninth dual doubles win.  The duo has won eight of their last 10 matches.
• Ana Rodrigues recorded her 44th career dual doubles win, tied for the fourth most in program history.  It was also her 60th career doubles win (fall/spring).
• Zoie Epps improved to 13-2 in dual singles this spring, a team-best record.  All 13 wins have come via straight sets.  She is now 25-4 in singles this season (fall/spring).

UP NEXT
LA Tech will return home on Thursday, March 13 to host nationally ranked Wichita State.  First serve is set for 1 p.m. CT at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
 
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