Pack The House
 
Tennis Techsters Net Win over Grambling State


 

  
Posted Apr 4, 2003 19:14:04
Tennis Techsters Net Win over Grambling State

RUSTON – Morgan Majors took a hard fought No. 6 singles win Friday to make it a clean sweep for Louisiana Tech as the Lady Techsters took a 7-0 win over Grambling State at the Tech tennis courts.

Tech moved to 4-7 on the season and will play host to Louisiana-Lafayette at 2 p.m. Saturday. Grambling State fell to 9-7 on the year.

Majors held on for a 6-4, 6-3 win in the day's last match and the first one Louisiana Tech has completed since losing at the University of New Orleans on March 15.

"This was a good win because it's one we can build on," Louisiana Tech coach Greg Hearn said. "We need that because it's going to get tougher and tougher over the next two days and as we head towards the end of the season. We need to keep building with every match."

Louisiana Tech will play its third match over a 72-hour period on Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. contest at Delta State.

Grambling State coach Phillipe Carter said Tech's experience was the difference.

"I thought we played all right," Carter said. "Pretty good at times. We got in a lot of points and had a lot of close games to deuce. But they just had too much experience in the end. They won the big points."

Tech took the doubles points 2-0 with the No. 3 match ending in a tie to beat possibly impending rain. Tech's Saharai Uriarte and Avril Martinez defeated GSU's Michelle Rios and Candence Davis 8-2 in No. 1 singles while Anabella Duque and Holly Ready took a 8-0 No. 2 singles win for the Techsters over Grambling's Kiyyah Paige and Calissia Britton.

The No. 3 doubles contest ended at 5-5 as both coaches decided that because Tech had already won the doubles point, it was best to move on to singles play with an increasing chance of rain as the afternoon progressed. Tech's Danille Landry and Lauren Longbotham went up against GSU's Naisha Joseph and Christine Perry in that abbreviated match.

GSU's Joseph put up a fight in the No. 1 singles match before falling 6-3, 6-2 to Uriarte while Ready added a point for Tech with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Rios at No. 2 singles.

"The hard part was the mental part after not playing for so long," Ready said. "You can't really practice that 'match pressure' mentality, but I think I got into more of a rhythm as the match went on. I think we all did."

Duque gave Tech the No. 3 singles point with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Davis, while Martinez took the No. 4 match with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Perry.

Longbotham used agressive play to outlast Paige with a 6-1, 6-2 win.

"I was pleased with everyone's play," Hearn said. "Martinez and Duque both looked good out there and probably had our best matches of the day. They both went out there and took control."

Hearn said it was Majors' win, her first of the season, that provided the icing on the cake for the Techsters.

"We've been wanting this chance to play and get a team win so much, that watching Morgan get that win makes it even sweeter," Hearn said. "She used her head and showed she's learning. This was a good one, and hopefully we'll get an even better one tommorow."


Grambling State at Louisiana Tech
4/4/03
Tech Tennis Courts

Louisiana Tech 7, Grambling State 0

DOUBLES

No. 1
Saharai Uriarte/Avril Martinez (Tech) def. Michelle Rios/Candence Davis (GSU) 8-2.

No. 2
Anabelle Duque/Holly Ready (Tech) def. Kiyyah Paige/Calissia Britton (GSU) 8-0.

No. 3
Danille Landry/Lauren Longbotham (Tech) tied Naisha Joseph/Christine Perry (GSU) 5-0.


SINGLES

No. 1 Uriarte (Tech) def. Joseph (GSU) 6-3, 6-2.

No. 2 Ready (Tech) def. Rios (GSU) 6-1, 6-1.

No. 3 Duque (Tech) def. Davis (GSU) 6-1, 6-0.

No. 4 Martinez (Tech) def. Perry (GSU) 6-1, 6-1.

No. 5 Longbotham (Tech) def. Paige (GSU) 6-1, 6-2.

No. 6 Morgan Majors (Tech) def. Britton (GSU) 6-4, 6-3.