Blue Raiders capture doubles point at Louisiana

LAFAYETTE, La. - Middle Tennessee won the doubles point for the second-straight match but could not maintain the momentum in dropping a 4-3 women's tennis decision at Louisiana Friday afternoon in Lafayette, La.

"We are working hard and no doubt, we are well on our way to great things," head coach Alison Ojeda said. "But, basically, we are not talented enough to do great things unless we have seven out of seven players show up both mentally and physically everyday. The question is when will it happen."

The Blue Raiders' top pairing of Natalie Araya and Marietta Bigus pulled out a tough, 8-6 victory against the Ragin' Cajuns' Mia Gordon and Julie Mazinova.

Middle Tennessee (5-5) clinched the point with an identical score win during the No. 3 contest, as Taylor Coffey and Anna Djananova prevailed against Briggitt Marcovich and Tara Vasovic.

Five of the six singles matches lasted two sets, while the only one which did not, was a 6-1, 2-6, 6-0 triumph by Coffey over Vasovic at the No. 6 position.

Yuiri Nomoto recorded the Blue Raiders' other singles win, handing Marcovich a 6-4, 6-4 loss during the No. 3 meeting.

Louisiana (3-6) was able to claim the match victory with four triumphs in singles action.

Middle Tennessee will return to action at 11 a.m. Sunday when it travels to Mobile, Ala., to face South Alabama.

Louisiana 4, Middle Tennessee 3

Singles
No. 1 Audrey Wooland (ULL) def. Carla Nava (MT) 6-1, 6-3
No. 2 Julie Mazinova (ULL) def. Natalie Araya (MT) 6-2, 6-3
No. 3 Yuiri Nomoto (MT) def. Briggitt Marcovich (ULL) 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 Milou Israel (ULL) def. Anna Djananova (MT) 6-2, 6-2
No. 5 Mia Gordon (ULL) def. Marietta Bigus (MT) 6-0, 7-5
No. 6 Taylor Coffey (MT) def. Tara Vasovic (ULL) 6-1, 2-6, 6-0

Doubles
No. 1 Bigus/Araya (MT) def. Mazinova/Gordon (ULL) 8-6
No. 2 Israel/Wooland (ULL) def. Nomoto/Nava (MT) 8-4
No. 3 Coffey/Djananova (MT) def. Marcovich/Vasovic (ULL) 8-6

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