WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — LSU’s 87th-ranked Tami Botts finished the William and Mary Tribe Classic with a perfect 3-0 record in singles play on Sunday, as the Lady Tiger senior knocked off William and Mary’s Jessyca Arthur, 6-2, 6-2, in Flight A competition.
“Tami played some really good tennis this weekend,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “She came into this event as the only ranked player in the field, and a lot of the other players were gunning for an upset, but she was able to hold them all off. I’m really proud of how she was able to step up her play and remain consistent in her shots.”
Botts, a native of Ashland, Ore., upped her 2001-02 season record to 8-3 at the William and Mary Tribe Classic held at the McCormack-Nicholson Tennis Center in Williamsburg, Va., by winning each of her three singles matches.
Prior to defeating Arthur on Sunday, Botts dropped Michigan’s Kavitha Tiperneni, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, on Friday and Penn State’s Maaria Husain, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, in Saturday’s competition.
The rest of the 27th-ranked LSU women’s tennis team continued to face adversity on Sunday. Despite a convincing 6-3, 6-2, victory by Amy McIlhaney over William and Mary’s Delphine Troch, the Lady Tigers’ were held winless in singles play.
LSU freshmen Amanda Mang and Perri Budd were each dropped in straight sets, while the Lady Tigers’ sophomore Rocio Fantilli fell to the Tribe’s Lena Sherbakov, 6-4, 6-0.
In doubles play, the Lady Tigers’ pairs of Botts/Budd and Mang/McIlhaney were each victorious over their Penn State counterparts. Botts and Budd breezed by Penn State’s combination of April Uy/Husein, 8-1, while Mang and McIlhaney dropped the Nittany Lions’ Leigh Ann Merryman and Sarah Spence, 8-4.
The 27th-ranked LSU women’s tennis team will begin its dual-match season on Saturday, January 26, as the Lady Tigers host both Centenary and Southern at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium beginning at 1 p.m.
William and Mary Tribe Classic
Saturday’s Results
Singles
#87 Tami Botts (LSU) def. Maaria Husain (PSU), 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Megan Marton (PSU) def. Rocio Fantilli (LSU), 6-3, 5-7, 1-0(7).
Amanda Mang (LSU) def. Judy Wang (PSU), 4-6, 7-5, 1-0(5).
Leigh Ann Merryman (PSU) def. Amy McIlhaney (LSU), 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Perri Budd (LSU) def. Jessica McKeown (PSU), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Doubles
Mang/McIlhaney (LSU) def. DeCosta/Tipirneni (Mich), 8-4.
Mang/McIlhaney (LSU) def. Arthur/Troch (W&M), 9-8(5).
Duprez/Rutherford (Mich) def. Craycraft/Fantilli (LSU), 8-4.
Olsen/Wei (W&M) def. Botts/Fantilli (LSU), 9-8 (0).
Nolan/Plaushines (Mich) def. Botts/Budd (LSU), 8-4.
Sunday’s Results
Singles
#87 Tami Botts (LSU) d. Jessyca Arthur (W&M); 6-2, 6-2.
Lena Sherbakov (W&M) d. Rocio Fantilli (LSU); 6-4, 6-0.
Candice Fuchs (W&M) d. Amanda Mang (LSU); 6-4, 6-4.
Amy McIlhaney (LSU) d. Delphine Troch (W&M); 6-3, 6-2.
Kari Olsen (W&M) d. Perri Budd (LSU); 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles
Amanda Mang/Amy McIlhaney (LSU) d. Leigh Ann Merryman/Sarah Spence (PSU), 8-4.
Megan Marton/Judy Wang (PSU) d. Kelly Craycraft/Rocio Fantilli (LSU); 7-4, ret.
Tami Botts/Perri Budd (LSU) d. Maaria Husain/April Uy (PSU); 8-1.