PINEVILLE, La. – The #14/#8 Louisiana Christian University women's tennis team opened the LCU/LSUA Tournament with a dominant win over a ranked team, shutting out #21/#24 Lewis-Clark State Warriors 7-0 on senior day Thursday afternoon at the Richard L. Crowell Tennis Center.
#14/#8 Louisiana Christian (10-5, 3-1 RRAC) was quick to pick up the doubles point as the number two tandem of
Raquel Coelho Rodrigues and
Valeria Callejo and number three tandem of
Akari Uchiyama and
Ana Sofia Ferrer Martinez defeated both of their foes from #24/#21 Lewis-Clark State (9-7) by identical 6-1 scores.
But the big battle in doubles came in the number one match-up where
Elizaveta Mikhailova and
Farren Allysia Sandy took down the 36
th-ranked tandem in the NAIA by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) by a 7-5 score to secure the sweep in doubles play.
Mikhailova made her senior day one to remember as, after picking up the ranked win in doubles, picked up a win over a ranked opponent in singles as well, shutting out the ITA's 69
th-ranked NAIA singles player, 6-0, 6-0 in the number one matchup.
That led the Wildcats to the sweep of the Warriors as LCU did not surrender a set in the match. In the number two singles match, Coelho Rodrigues, who also celebrated her senior day with a pair of victories, won 6-2, 6-1. Callejo on court three and Ferrer Martinez on court four both won by 6-3, 6-3 scores. Uchiyama won the match-up on court five, 6-1, 6-3. Allysia Sandy took the number six match by a score of 6-2, 6-2.
LCU became just the third team all season to blank LCSC this season, the other two teams to accomplish that both being NCAA Division I programs.
The Wildcats continue their tough week with another Red River Athletic Conference match of increased significance on Friday, taking on #6/#2 Xavier as part of the LCU/LSUA Tournament. Opening serve of Friday's match against the Gold Nuggets (14-5, 2-0 RRAC) is set for 2 p.m. at the Richard L. Crowell Tennis Center.
