BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Four LSU women’s tennis players begin first-round competition in the Indiana Invitational tournament on Friday at 8:30 a.m. at the Indiana University Tennis Center. The three-day event includes players from Kansas, Missouri and Indiana.
“Every one of our girls is extremely happy to be playing in this tournament,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “There is a lot of good competition in this event and it will definitely better our team by giving them some quality experience.”
Competing for the Tigers in this weekend’s tournament is senior Amy McIlhaney, sophomore Rocio Fantilli, and freshmen Amanda Mang and Perri Budd. Fantilli and Mang will play in the Flight I singles draw, while McIlhaney and Budd are scheduled to compete in the Flight II draw.
The Tigers’ talented freshman from New Orleans, La., Mang, opens the Indiana Invitational versus Linda Tran on Friday. Tran is a member of the hometown-favorite Hoosiers and has not played this fall. Mang owns a record of 2-1 in fall competition.
McIlhaney and Budd begin play in the Flight II singles draw at 8:30 a.m. on Friday. McIlhaney will face Indiana’s Jessica Levin, while Budd challenges Luci Ruskova of Missouri. Budd earned a record of 1-1 at the UNLV Invitational after picking up a huge victory over Minnesota’s Kelli Perry.
Fantilli, who struggled to an 0-3 record in last week’s UNLV Invitational, will look to earn her first singles victory of the fall season in the Flight I tournament against Iowa’s Deni Alexander.
The Indiana Invitational will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at the Indiana University Tennis Center in Bloomington, Ind.