BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's tennis team (2-1) had very little trouble getting past Arkansas State on a cool, breezy afternoon at the Thompson Family Tennis Center Saturday in Beaumont. The Cardinals recorded a 6-1 decision to drop ASU to 0-2 on the season.
 
"I think we played extremely well in doubles this afternoon," said LU head coach David Wong. "We began playing well in doubles in our previous match and that carried over into today. Coming in to the day we really felt like this match was going to be a 4-3 outcome and it would come down to doubles. As it turns out, that wasn't the case but it was good to have the momentum from doubles heading into singles play.
 
"You have to give credit to Arkansas State. Their head coach had their girls ready to play this afternoon and they really fought hard," added Wong.
 
The Red and White picked up two quick wins in doubles play to take an early 1-0 lead over Arkansas State. The duo of junior Talissa Merchiers and sophomore Stephanie Marchena overwhelmed ASU's Sofia Krsmanovic and Sabina Jeresic, 6-1. The Cardinals team of junior Katya Lapayeva and freshman Luciana Di Laura followed suit with a 6-3 victory at the No. 2 spot.
 
The match at No. 1 doubles was an evenly matched battled that went in favor of the visitors from Jonesboro, Ark., but it didn't matter as the Cards had already secured the doubles point.
 
Merchiers added to the Cardinal advantage by taking the first singles victory of the afternoon. Despite trailing, 2-0, Arkansas State battled back with a point at No. 2 singles. Ivanovic was locked in a tough battled in the first set at line two singles, but it appeared the wind was knocked out of her sails after dropping the opening set, 7-5, to ASU's Shelby King who went on to win the match after a 6-1 decision in the second set.
 
King's victory at No. 2 singles would be the Red Wolves only point of the day as the Cardinals rattled off four-straight wins to close out the day. Marchena recorded the team's third point of the day with her three-set victory over Victoria Pisani at the sixth spot, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Lapayeva recorded the match-clinching point with her win at No. 1 singles. After winning a tiebreaker in the first set, Lapayeva easily dispensed of the Red Wolves Julie Gauguery, 6-3, in the second.
 
Big Red added wins from sophomore Teodora Stefanovic and junior Anna Spengler at Nos. 5 and 3 singles, respectively, to close out the match. Stefanovic won a tiebreaker in the second set to record the victory while Spengler had to go three sets to pick up her win.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday, Feb. 20, when they travel to Ruston, La., to take one Louisiana Tech. The match against Lady Techsters is slated to begin at noon.
 
"Next week is going to be another tough test," said Wong. "We will be at Louisiana Tech who has a very tough team, then we start Southland Conference play. These non-conference matches are designed to help us gain experience and unity as a team."  
  
Singles
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. Julie Gauguery (ASU), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
2. Shelby King (ASU) def. Andrea Ivanovic (LU), 7-5, 6-1
3. Anna Spengler (LU) def. Tori Roberts (ASU), 6-2, 3-6, 6-0
4. Talissa Merchiers (LU) def. Sabina Jeresic (ASU), 6-1, 6-0
5. Teodora Stefanovic (LU) def. Sofia Krsmanovic (ASU), 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
6. Stephanie Marchena (LU) def. Victoria Pisani (ASU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Gauguery/Roberts (ASU) def. Spengler/Ivanovic (LU), 7-5
2. Lapayeva/Di Laura (LU) def. King/Pisani (ASU), 6-3
3. Marchena/Merchiers (LU) def. Krsmanovic/Jeresic (ASU), 6-1