BATON ROUGE — The LSU women’s tennis team returns to action after a three-week hiatus on Friday, as the Lady Tigers begin Southeastern Conference play against 23rd-ranked South Carolina at 1 p.m. on the road in Columbia, S.C.
“I think we’re ready to play,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “Everybody’s been hitting the ball well and we’ve had some really good practices this week. We have an opportunity to knock off a couple of top teams this weekend and I think that we have some very experienced leaders on our team that will have us ready for the challenge.”
LSU heads into its 2002 conference schedule with an overall record of 7-2 on the season. The Tigers were slated to open SEC play last weekend against Alabama and Auburn, but both matches were postponed due to rain in the Baton Rouge area.
In LSU’s most-recent contest, the Tigers were edged out by 19th-ranked Texas A&M, 4-3, on February 17. The loss, which took place nearly three weeks ago, proves to be LSU’s only defeat at home on the season at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium. The Tigers own a 1-1 record while playing on the road this year.
“I think that the long break can either help us is some ways, or it can hurt us,” Minnis said. “It just depends on how you look at it and what our attitude is, because it has helped us get past some injuries and to get some players healthy. It’s hurt us a bit in that we haven’t competed in so long and just haven’t played any matches.
The Lady Gamecocks enter Friday’s SEC battle with a perfect 2-0 record in the conference. South Carolina dropped both Mississippi State, 5-1, and Ole Miss, 4-1, in dominating fashion last weekend in its opening two contests of SEC play.
South Carolina possesses an 8-1 overall record on the season and a 5-1 mark while playing at home in Columbia, S.C. The Lady Gamecocks’ lone loss of the 2002 dual-match season came at home against 22nd-ranked Georgia Tech. The Lady Jackets dropped South Carolina, 4-2, on Feb. 16.
“Our younger kids have really come along well,” Minnis said. “If we go out there and just compete hard, then I feel that we will be in pretty good shape.”
The LSU women’s tennis team will compete in its third road match of the season on Friday, as the Tigers face No. 23 South Carolina at 1 p.m. in the Maxcy Gregg Tennis Stadium.