BROWNWOOD, Texas – LeTourneau University's women's tennis team overcame a doubles deficit to beat Howard Payne, 6-3, in the season opener Thursday.
 
It was LeTourneau's first season-opening victory in three years. It also signaled the YellowJackets' first match since March 12 last season when they wrapped up play in the Hilton Head Spring Tennis Fest in South Carolina.
 
Howard Payne jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the match after winning two of the three doubles flights. HPU's Lexie Nave and Zoe Sprayberry beat Bailey Deatherage and Julia Miller, 8-4, at No. 1 pairs. LETU's Sierra Giesen Linssen and Amber Van Duyn coasted to an 8-2 victory over Zaylie Sanchez and Danielle Sanchez at the No. 2 spot. HPU's Brittany Sutton and Katelynn Lovel pulled out an 8-6 battle with Brandy Weems and Mimi Samdi at No. 3 doubles.
 
Giesen Linssen evened the match at 2-2 when she authored a 6-2, 6-1 win over Sprayberry at No. 2 singles. Weems won by retirement over Zaylie Sanchez at the No. 3 position. Weems won the first set, 6-3, and took a 3-1 lead in the second when the HPU player retired. That put LeTourneau ahead, 3-2. 
 
Howard Payne evened the match at 3-3 when Deatherage retired, despite leading Nave, 6-2, 2-3, at No. 1 singles. Savannah Orton's 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Danielle Sanchez at the No. 6 spot moved LETU back in front, 4-3. Miller outlasted Lovel, 6-4, 7-5, at No. 4 singles to secure the victory for LETU. Samdi pulled out a thrilling 6-4, 4-6, 10-8 win over Sutton at the No. 5 position to close the match.
 
Orton's victory was the first of her two-year YellowJacket career. Weems and Miller won in their LETU debuts.
 
LeTourneau meets McMurry Friday in Abilene, Texas, to continue the three-match road trip.