STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State Tennis will have just a single match this week once again, as the Texans host UTSA on Saturday at 12 p.m. in Stephenville.
 
The Texans (8-1) are perfect at home this season at 4-0, and have won six straight in Stephenville dating back to last season. The last time Tarleton fell at home was nearly a full year ago, losing to UT Arlington on March 19.
 
The Roadrunners (9-4) took on that same Lady Mavs team on Friday, falling 4-0 in Arlington. UTSA has now lost three straight road matches and are 3-4 on the road this season.
 
In Tarleton's last match, they debuted a different lineup in both doubles and singles, the change in singles the first difference all year. Tarleton's No. 1 singles player, Emma Persson, missed her first match since joining the Purple and White last season. Elsa Boisson was bumped up to No. 1 for the first time in her collegiate career, Martha Makantasi played the No. 2, Noelia Lorca moved to No. 3, and Adeliya Mukhutdinova made her Texan debut at No. 5.
 
In doubles, the Texans kept their top pair together of Makantasi and Maretha Burger, but changed up the other two, pairing Boisson and Ximena Morales together at No. 2, and Lorca with Clara Sobius at No. 3. All three Texan pairs won.
 
The Texans made quick work of Prairie View A&M overall in that match on March 1, winning 6-1.
 
Lorca is a perfect 9-0 in singles play, 8-0 at No. 5 and 1-0 at No. 3. Makantasi is just behind her at 8-1, going 7-1 at No. 3 and 1-0 at No. 2. Boisson, Burger and Sobius all sit at 6-3. Tarleton is a combined 40-14 (.741) in singles matches this season.
 
In doubles, Burger and Makantasi have played on Court 1 in every match this year, going 8-1. Persson and Lorca are undefeated together at 6-0, all on Court 3. The Texans are a combined 22-5 (.815) in doubles matches this year.
 
As for UTSA, they've bounced their lineups around most of the year. Aleksandra Zlatarova has been the primary No. 1 singles player, going 4-4 on the top court, 6-4 overall. Ekua Youri has the best overall record at 8-2 between Courts 4-5. In doubles, Cassie McLay and Zlatarova have the most wins as a duo, going 6-1, all at No. 1.
 
The Texans and Roadrunners squared off last year in San Antonio and won 4-3 against the then-Conference USA opponent. Now UTSA is in the American Athletic Conference.
 
After Saturday, Tarleton will wrap up their three-match homestand on March 19 against North Texas at 3 p.m. Of the Texans' nine remaining regular season matches, six will be played in Stephenville.
 
Admission is free Saturday, and for all Tarleton home matches this season. For those unable to attend in-person, there will be live streaming found here, while live scoring can be found here.