Louisiana Tech University’s women’s tennis team is preparing to host Stephen F. Austin in their first official home match of the season after weather delays postponed earlier games. The match is scheduled for Saturday, February 21 at 1 p.m. CT at the LA Tech Tennis Complex.
The Bulldogs, currently ranked No. 64 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national team rankings, enter the contest with a 5-2 record following recent road victories over UT Arlington and North Texas. Against UT Arlington, Louisiana Tech won all matches for a 7-0 result and followed up with a close 4-3 comeback win against North Texas.
Key contributors include Zoie Epps, Diana Starodubtseva, Maria Tsironi, and Isabella Walker, who each secured singles wins in both away matches. Epps and Walker have achieved a 5-1 record in dual singles this spring and together hold a team-best doubles mark of 4-2 while playing at the No. 1 spot. The pair made history by debuting at No. 50 in the ITA doubles rankings—the first Bulldogs duo to be nationally ranked.
Stephen F. Austin arrives still searching for its first win of the season after three losses to Abilene Christian, North Texas, and Houston. Under new head coach Drew Lambert, SFA returns all players from last year’s squad that won both regular season and tournament Southland Conference titles with a total of 17 victories.
Sonja Rooth leads SFA in singles play with an undefeated record through three matches while competing at No. 2 and No. 3 positions. In doubles competition, SFA has tried seven different pairings but earned all three doubles wins this season during their match against North Texas.
Saturday’s matchup will be the thirty-first meeting between Louisiana Tech and Stephen F. Austin on the tennis courts; Louisiana Tech holds a series lead of 21-9 and has claimed victory in eight of their last nine encounters—including a shutout win in their most recent meeting in 2023.
“Championships require championship resources,” according to information provided by LA Tech Athletics staff about supporting programs such as LTAC, Aillet Society, T-Club, Young Alumni program, and CHAMP fund initiatives designed to support student-athletes’ success through NIL opportunities.
“Our mission is to engage, develop, and advance the Louisiana Tech Athletics brand,” stated representatives from LA Tech Athletics regarding ongoing efforts to build community engagement around Bulldog sports programs.
For updates on Bulldog Tennis throughout the season fans can follow @LATechTennis on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram (@LATechTennis), or Facebook (LATechTennis).
