NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU women’s tennis team lost to the 11th-ranked Vanderbilt Lady Commodores Friday by the score of 6-3 in Nashville, Tenn.
“Vanderbilt is playing really good tennis right now. They are a tough team to beat, especially when they’re playing at home,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “We’ve played every higher ranked team on our schedule close this season, but we just haven’t been able to pick up the wins.”
With the loss, the Lady Tigers’ Southeastern Conference record dropped to 2-7 on the season, while LSU’s overall record fell to 12-8.
Vanderbilt improved to an 18-2 overall mark, and an 8-1 conference record. The Lady Commodores’ win insured them of a first round bye in the SEC Tournament, April 20-23 at Ole Miss.
After the singles round LSU trailed Vanderbilt by two points, 4-2. The Lady Tigers were victorious on courts No. 1 and No. 2, but the Lady Commodores swept on courts No. 3-6.
LSU’s 11th-ranked Bruna Colosio improved her winning streak to 11 matches in a row with a victory in No. 1 singles over Vandy’s 48th-ranked Julie Ditty. With the 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 win over Ditty, Colosio won her 30th match of the season and improved her overall record to 30-6.
The Lady Tigers’ 68th-ranked Ana Paula Mores also kept her winning streak alive against the Lady Commodores with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 victory over 85th-ranked Sarah Riske. Mores has now won her previous nine singles matches.
Vanderbilt clinched its third victory in a row over LSU as Ditty and Riske defeated the Lady Tigers’ combination of Lauren Haddix and Amy McIlhaney, 8-1, in No. 2 doubles.
The 10th-ranked Lady Tiger duo of Colosio and Mores picked up LSU’s final point of the match by holding off Vandy’s 11th-ranked doubles team comprised of Kristy Blumberg and Kate Burson, 9-8(6).
The LSU Lady Tigers will next be in action this Sunday as they travel to Auburn, Ala., for an SEC battle with the Auburn Lady Tigers. The match is scheduled to begin at noon.
#11 VANDERBILT: 6, #39 LSU: 3
SINGLES
No. 1 – #11 Bruna Colosio (LSU) def. #48 Julie Ditty (VAN), 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
No. 2 – #68 Ana Paula Mores (LSU) def. #85 Sarah Riske (VAN), 6-3, 6-2.
No. 3 – #69 Kristy Blumberg (VAN) def. Fernanda Tsucamoto (LSU), 6-0, 6-4.
No. 4 – #97 Jenny Miller (VAN) def. Tami Botts (LSU), 6-2, 6-2.
No. 5 – Kate Burson (VAN) def. Lauren Haddix (LSU), 6-3, 6-2.
No. 6 – Anne Plessinger (VAN) def. Kelly Craycraft (LSU), 6-2, 6-4.
DOUBLES
No. 1 – #10 Colosio/Mores (LSU) def. #11 Blumberg/Burson (VAN), 9-8(6).
No. 2 – Ditty/Riske (VAN) def. Haddix/McIlhaney (LSU), 8-1.
No. 3 – Miller/Rose (VAN) def. Tsucamoto/Botts (LSU), 8-3.