HOUSTON — The LSU women’s tennis team earned its first road victory of the season on Thursday, as the Lady Tigers recorded a convincing 6-1 victory over the Houston Lady Cougars at the University of Houston Varsity Tennis Center.
“We played some smart, solid, and consistent tennis today,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “It’s always good to gain a bit of momentum before the start of conference play. By picking up a win on the road against a quality team, today’s performance will help us have a full head steam for Sunday’s match.”
In its final non-conference match before the start of SEC competition, the LSU women’s tennis team improved to 6-1 on the season. Houston dropped to a dual-match record of 1-3 and will also begin conference play in its next match. The Lady Cougars travel to face Marquette on February 23, while LSU will open up at home against the 7-1 Alabama Crimson Tide on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
LSU picked up wins in seven of the nine contests on Thursday. The Lady Tigers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the match by claiming the doubles point with victories on courts No. 1 and No. 3.
The Lady Tigers’ combination of junior Bruna Colosio and freshman Rocio Fantilli upset the 27th-ranked team in the nation comprised of Sarah Borwell and Annie Rapp in No. 1 doubles. With the 8-6 victory, Colosio and Fantilli maintained their undefeated status as a team and improved to a 6-0 dual-match record. On court No. 3, LSU’s Tami Botts and Lauren Haddix held off Houston’s duo of Kailey Meisinger and Jen Baccarani, 8-6, to clinch the point.
In singles play, the Lady Tigers were victorious on every court except No. 1 where Houston’s Borwell rallied to an impressive 6-1, 6-2, win over LSU’s 42nd-ranked Colosio. The loss snapped Colosio’s nine-match winning streak and marked her first defeat since September 29. Colosio currently owns an 11-2 overall record.
LSU’s senior from Sao Paolo, Brazil, Fernanda Tsucamoto, continued her brilliant performance in No. 5 singles play as she dominated the Lady Cougars’ Sarah Flood, 6-3, 6-0, to up her record to 13-6. Tsucamoto has been victorious in 13 of her previous 16 matches.
The all-time series between Houston and LSU is currently slated at 9-2 in favor of the Lady Tigers. LSU has won the previous three contests and has not been defeated by Houston since 1990 when the Lady Cougars posted a 5-2 win.
“Houston has a good team this season,” Minnis said. “A lot of their players are young and inexperienced, but they will definitely improve as the season goes on. I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull off some huge upsets later on. We just need to continue to improve as a team and be ready for an all-out war versus Alabama.”
The LSU women’s tennis team will make its 2001 Southeastern Conference debut on Sunday, February 18, as the Lady Tigers host the Alabama Crimson Tide at 1 p.m. in the “Dub” Robinson Tennis Center.
LSU 6, Houston 1
Singles
1. Sarah Borwell (UH) def. #42 Bruna Colosio (LSU), 6-1, 6-2.
2. Rocio Fantilli (LSU) def. Karine Urbin (UH), 7-6(4), 6-1.
3. Tami Botts (LSU) def. Kailey Meisinger (UH), 6-0, 6-1.
4. Lauren Haddix (LSU) def. Jen Baccarani (UH), 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
5. Fernanda Tsucamoto (LSU) def. Sarah Flood (UH), 6-3, 6-0.
6. Mandy Rice (LSU) won by default.
Doubles
1. Colosio/Fantilli (LSU) def. #27 Annie Rapp/Borwell (UH), 8-6.
2. Flood/Urbin (UH) def. Amy McIlhaney/Tsucamoto (LSU), 8-5.
3. Botts/Haddix (LSU) def. Meisinger/Baccarani (UH), 8-5.