Louisiana Tech University’s women’s tennis team overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat North Texas 4-3 in Denton, Texas, on Monday. The match took place at the Waranch Tennis Complex.
North Texas started strong by winning the doubles point after taking matches on courts one and two with identical 6-3 scores. The Mean Green extended their lead by claiming the first singles point at the No. 2 position. Louisiana Tech’s Maria Tsironi responded with a straight-set victory at No. 4, defeating Marina Adati 6-1, 6-1.
North Texas secured another singles win at No. 5, putting them one point away from clinching the overall match. However, Louisiana Tech began to rally when Zoie Epps won her match at No. 1 in a tiebreaker after being down in the breaker, finishing with a score of 6-1, 7-6 (3).
Diana Starodubtseva followed by overcoming early deficits in both sets to win her match at No. 3, tying the team score at three apiece with two consecutive 7-5 set wins.
The deciding match came down to court six between freshmen Isabella Walker of Louisiana Tech and Giulianna Ciangherot of North Texas. Walker lost the first set but recovered to win the next two sets decisively for a final score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-1.
After the match, head coach Amy Sargeant said: “Today was a hard-fought win and those are the ones that build us. We came out too slow in doubles. Too many unforced errors. Too reactive instead of dictating. That is not our standard and we know it. In singles, it took time to settle in. We had to adjust to the wind, manage momentum swings, and recommit to our individual game plans. Once we locked in and trusted our work, thing shifted.”
“It was not pretty. It was not perfect. But toughness rarely is. What separates us is our heart and our grit. We train to be fitter and stronger. We train to outlast and outcompete and today, that showed. When things were not going smoothly, we leaned into resilience,” Sargeant added.
Louisiana Tech will next play Stephen F. Austin at home on Saturday, February 21.
Supporters are encouraged to contribute directly through various programs designed to benefit LA Tech Athletics via NIL opportunities and marketing initiatives for student-athletes by visiting BuildTheLegacy.com.
Fans can also stay updated on Bulldog Tennis through X (@LATechTennis), Instagram (@LATechTennis), and Facebook (LATechTennis).
