GAINESVILLE, Fla. – – The 24th-ranked LSU women’s tennis team lost only its second match of the season Saturday as they fell to the Florida Gators, 7-2, in Gainesville, Fla.
The Lady Tigers have a 7-2 overall record on the season, but are 0-2 in Southeastern Conference play.
“We played really well today,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “Florida is an outstanding team and I believe that we played them extremely tough. The girls fought hard and both Ana (Mores) and Tami (Botts) came up with big wins.”
With the win No. 4 Florida improved to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in SEC play. The Gators have never lost a home match to a Southeastern Conference team, and are 94-0 all-time at home versus SEC opponents.
Saturday, against the Lady Tigers, Florida was forced to play doubles in the regular season against an SEC team at home for the first time since 1994.
“We did a good job today in forcing them to play doubles,” Minnis said. “I am really impressed with our team and how they never gave up and played hard until the end.”
LSU’s 71st-ranked Ana Paula Mores continued her 10-match winning streak by winning her match on court No. 2 against Florida’s Stephanie Hazlett. Mores won the match 6-2, 7-6(4).
LSU’s Tami Botts defeated the 12th-ranked player in the nation on court No. 4. Botts outlasted Baili Camino in three sets, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(3).
After singles the score was 4-2 in Florida’s favor. The Gators won on courts No. 1, 3, 5, and 6 before sweeping the doubles competition.
The Lady Tigers will next be in action February 28 as they travel to take on Florida State.
FLORIDA: 7, LSU: 2
SINGLES
No. 1 Whitney Laiho (FLA) def. Bruna Colosio (LSU), 6-7(7), 6-0, 6-1.
No. 2 Ana Paula Mores (LSU) def. Stephanie Hazlett (FLA), 6-2, 7-6(4).
No. 3 Jessica Lehnhoff (FLA) def. Fernanda Tsucamoto (LSU), 6-1, 6-1.
No. 4 Tami Botts (LSU) def. Baili Camino (FLA), 2-6, 6-1, 7-6(3).
No. 5 Tracy Green (FLA) def. Lauren Haddix (LSU), 6-0, 6-3.
No. 6 Julia Scaringe (FLA) def. Mandy Rice (LSU), 6-2, 6-4.
DOUBLES:
No. 1 Laiho/Lehnhoff (FLA) def. Colosio/Mores (LSU), 9-7.
No. 2 Green/Scaringe (FLA) def. Tsucamoto/McIlhaney, 8-4.
No. 3 Camino/Hazlett (FLA) def. Craycraft/Haddix, 8-1.