RUSTON, La. – The Lamar University women's tennis team was trying to make a match of it, but an early deficit to a stout Louisiana Tech squad was too much to overcome in a 4-0 loss Saturday afternoon in the Cardinals' final tune up before Southland Conference play.
 
Even after dropping the doubles point, LU (2-2) was making a play in singles on courts one, three and four, but losses on courts two, five and six before the Cards could make a stand sealed if for the Lady Techsters (8-2).  
 
"We played hard today, but didn't' get the result we wanted," said head coach David Wong. "We can take from this and learn as we start league play. I feel good about our team as we get set to start the conference portion of our schedule.
 
"We need to tighten up some areas and hopefully we can do that this week," he said.
 
On court one, Katya Lapayeva downed Jazmin Bristos in the first set 6-4, but dropped the second by the same score.  Lapayeva had a point up on Bristos at 3-2 in the third set when the match was called. Same thing on court four when Talissa Merchiers of LU won the first set 6-3, but fell in the second to Zoe Chen 6-2. She was two points up on Chen at 3-1 when they were marked us unfinished.
 
The fifth court had Marta Sramkova over Anna Spengler at the time, but that Spengler was trying to rebound from a first set loss by sticking with Sramkova in the second at 5-4.  The junior lost the first set 6-2.
 
Alexandra Starkova was able to defeat Andrea Ivanovic in straight-sets, 6-2, 6-0 on court two while Teodora Stefonovic was overcome by Alba Perny, 6-2, 6-0 on the fifth line. The final point for Louisiana Tech was on the sixth court where Manoela Chiacchio downed Stephanie Marchena 6-4, 7-5.
 
In doubles action, Sramkova and Britos defeated Lapayeva and Luciana Di Laura on line two 6-1, the same score that Marchena and Merchiers fell to Chiacchio and Taly Merker on court three. Spengler and Ivanovic were up 4-2 on court one when the point had been taken.
 
Southland Conference play opens up in a week when LU opens a two-match homestand, starting with New Orleans on Feb 27 and ending with Southeastern Louisiana one day later.
 
Louisiana Tech 4, Lamar University 0
Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016
 
Singles
1. Katya Lapayeva (LU) vs. Jazmin Britos (LT), 6-4, 4-6, 3-2, Unf.
2. Alexandra Starkova (LT) def. Andrea Ivanovic (LU), 6-2, 6-0
3. Marta Sramkova (LT) vs. Anna Spengler (LU), 6-3, 5-4, Unf.
4. Talissa Merchiers (LU) vs. Zoe Chen (LT), 6-3, 2-6, 3-1 Unf.
5. A. Perry (LT) def. Teodora Stefanovic (LU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Manoela Chiacchio (LT) def. Stephanie Marchena (LU), 6-4, 7-5
 
Doubles
1. Spengler/Ivanovic (LU) vs. Starkova/Chen (LT), 4-2, Unf.
2. Sramkova/Britos (LT) def. Lapayeva/Luciana Di Laura (LU), 6-1
3. Chiacchio/Taly Merker (LT) def. Marchena/Merchiers (LU), 6-1