SAN ANGELO – Following a successful weekend in which they finished their regular season with victories, the Angelo State tennis team looks to keep the momentum rolling as they head into the Lone Star Conference Tennis Championship Tournament this weekend.

With the tournament in Arlington, Texas, at the Arlington Tennis Center, the Belles played in their regional last year in the exact location, winning their first match before they dropped their second one.

This tournament will also mark the first LSC Tennis Tournament in three years, with last year's tournament canceled due to rain and the 2020 tournament not being held due to COVID-19.

The Belles, who are 16-6 overall and 8-1 in conference play, are seeking their first-ever win at the LSC Tournament, having lost to Tarleton State in 2019 and Texas A&M-Kingsville in 2018.

The Belles will enter the tournament as the third seed, having been regular-season co-champions with top-seed Cameron and second-seed St. Mary's; they open on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with six-seed UT Tyler, whom the Belles swept back on April 14^th.

If the Belles win, they advance to the semifinals to face the winner of the DBU-St. Mary's matchup on Friday; the Belles' lone conference loss this season came to the Rattlers back on March 25^th in San Antonio.

Valentina Gonzalez and Ena Ovcina are the 45^th-ranked doubles pairing, while Dianela Rodriguez is ranked 10^th nationally in singles play.
 
SCOUTING THE PATRIOTS
UT Tyler, ranked 52^nd in the ITA rankings, is 10-10 on the season and 4-5 in conference play; they are currently riding a four-match losing streak, having not won since April 9^th against DBU.

Five of their wins this season have come by 4-3 scores.

Thursday will mark the first-ever match for the Patriots in the LSC Tournament.

A true freshman from Germany, Leony Deutschmann is the Patriots' top player and is ranked 54^th in the ITA singles rankings.