BATON ROUGE — The LSU women’s tennis team outlasted the Alabama Crimson Tide on Sunday, as the Lady Tigers defeated their Southeastern Conference counterparts, 5-2, in the SEC opener at the “W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
“I am extremely proud of the way that our team played today,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “They fought hard until the end and they really deserved to win the match. Hopefully, we can show the same amount of toughness and determination throughout the rest of SEC play.”
With the Lady Tigers leading the match, 3-2, Alabama’s 96th-ranked Emma Berard finished off an impressive second set over 42nd-ranked Bruna Colosio, 7-5, to force a third set and keep the Tide’s hopes alive. LSU’s Colosio continued to fight hard in the third frame despite a nagging injury to her right shoulder and clinched the match for the Lady Tigers with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory.
The LSU women’s tennis team improved to a 7-1 overall record and a 1-0 mark against SEC competition, while the Crimson Tide dropped to 8-2 and a 1-1 conference record. The Lady Tigers won their seventh-straight match versus Alabama and have not been defeated by the Crimson Tide since 1994.
LSU swept all three doubles matches to take an early 1-0 lead in the contest. The Lady Tigers’ undefeated tandem of Colosio and Rocio Fantilli improved its record to 7-0 on Sunday with an 8-3 win over the Tide’s 39th-ranked combination of Dominique Glinzler and Berard.
The Lady Tigers’ doubles team of Tami Botts and Lauren Haddix outfought the 49th-ranked duo comprised of Weyli Chang and Selia Mathew, 8-4, on court No. 3, while Fernanda Tsucamoto and Amy McIlhaney completed the sweep of the Tide with an 8-4 win on court No. 2 against Stefani Leung and Jenny Ketchum.
Alabama tied the overall-team score at one point apiece early on in singles play as Mathew blew by LSU’s Fantilli, 6-0, 6-0, on court No. 2. The Lady Tigers then jumped out to a commanding 3-1 lead as Botts dominated Ketchum in No. 3 singles, 6-1, 6-2, and Haddix defeated Glinzler, 6-2, 6-4.
The Crimson Tide picked up its final victory of the match on court No. 6 as Becca Baum corralled LSU’s Mandy Rice, 7-6(2), 6-0. Tsucamoto was victorious in the final match of the day, 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(2) over Chang.
The LSU women’s tennis team will next be in action on February 24, as the Lady Tigers travel to Starkville, Miss., for a battle with the Mississippi State Bulldogs.
LSU 5, Alabama 2
Singles
1. #42 Bruna Colosio (LSU) def. #96 Emma Berard (BAMA), 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
2. Selia Mathew (BAMA) def. Rocio Fantilli (LSU), 6-0, 6-0.
3. Tami Botts (LSU) def. Jenny Ketchum (BAMA), 6-1, 6-2.
4. Fernanda Tsucamoto (LSU) def. Weyli Chang (BAMA), 2-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(2).
5. Lauren Haddix (LSU) def. Dominique Glinzler (BAMA), 6-2, 6-4.
6. Becca Baum (BAMA) def. Mandy Rice (LSU), 7-6(2), 6-0.
Doubles
1. Colosio/Fantilli (LSU) def. #39 Glinzler/Berard (BAMA), 8-3.
2. Tsucamoto/McIlhaney (LSU) def. Leung/Ketchum (BAMA), 8-5.
3. Botts/Haddix (LSU) def. #49 Chang/Mathew (BAMA), 8-4.