No. 20 Texas Tech Lady Raiders launch their home season Sunday, aiming to dominate UTRGV and ACU and ignite championship aspirations.
Spring tennis is back in Lubbock, and the Texas Tech Lady Raiders aren’t easing into it quietly.
Ranked No. 20 nationally, the Lady Raiders open their spring season Sunday with a home doubleheader at the McLeod Tennis Center, facing UTRGV Vaqueros at 11:30 a.m. CT before closing the day against the Abilene Christian Wildcats at 3 p.m.
If history is any indication, Tech will feel right at home. The Lady Raiders are a perfect 4-0 all-time against UTRGV, including a 4-0 sweep in their most recent meeting in 2022.
Against ACU, the numbers are even louder - a commanding 28-2 series edge, highlighted by a 6-0 shutout just last January.
But rankings and records don’t win matches on Sunday afternoons. Fall results show why this Tech squad enters the spring with confidence and depth.
Freshman Kseniia Logvin wasted no time making an impression, leading the team with 11 singles wins in the fall.
Right behind her were Ella Brownback and Elena Daskalova with nine wins apiece, while Hailey Murphy added eight.
Doubles play - often the tone-setter in college tennis - looks equally sturdy. Brownback paired with Polina Sleptsova, and Murphy teamed with Yekaterina Dmitrichenko, with both duos collecting five wins each. Individually, Brownback and Daskalova tied for the team lead with 11 doubles victories, showing Tech can mix-and-match without losing chemistry.
National recognition backs it up. Murphy checks in at No. 110 in the ITA singles rankings, while the Dmitrichenko/Murphy tandem sits at No. 75 in doubles - proof the Lady Raiders aren’t just deep, they’re dangerous.
As for the visitors, both bring competitive pieces. UTRGV’s Luna Buijtenhuijs led the Vaqueros with five singles wins this fall, while ACU leans on Elsa Luthar and Masha Vrsalovic for stability.
Still, walking into Lubbock for opening weekend is no small task.
For Texas Tech, Sunday is about more than two matches. It’s about setting the tone - confident, composed, and maybe a little ruthless - for a spring season that expects to matter.