LAS VEGAS — LSU’s women’s tennis player, Tami Botts, defeated Oklahoma State’s Katia Vasylyeva in straight sets on Monday, as the Tigers’ junior from Ashland, Ore., won the Flight I Singles championship match, 7-6(5), 6-2, at the UNLV Invitational.
“That was a huge victory today for Tami,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “She has improved tremendously over the offseason and it’s good to see her reap the benefits of her hard work. She has really stepped up her game lately and it’s good to see her win a huge match.”
Botts finished the three-day tournament with a perfect 3-0 record. In the opening round of competition, she upset 100th-ranked Agnieszka Abram of UNLV, 6-4, 6-2, to earn the second victory over a top-100 opponent of her career. As a sophomore, Botts upset Florida’s 12th-ranked Baili Camino on the road in Gainesville, Fla.
“I honestly believe that when Tami is on top of her game, she can beat almost anyone in the country,” said Minnis. “She proved it against Camino in 2000 and I’m looking forward to watching her progress this season.”
In the second round of the UNLV Invitational at the Frank and Vicki Fertitta Tennis Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., Botts dominated Minnesota’s Valerie Vladra, 6-3, 6-0, to advance to the Flight I Singles championship match. She outscored her opponents by 20 sets throughout the weekend, 37-17.
Botts and the LSU women’s tennis team will next be in action on Friday, Oct. 5, as the Lady Tigers head to Bloomington, Ind., for the Indiana Invitational.