KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU women’s tennis team lost its second-consecutive match against a top-10 opponent on Friday, as the Lady Tigers fell to the 10th-ranked Tennessee Lady Vols, 6-1, in Knoxville, Tenn.
“I think that we competed harder in today’s match, but we’re still not playing our best tennis,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “Tennessee played very well today, and they did a good job of limiting their mistakes against us. We just need to regroup and get prepared for Georgia on Sunday.”
With the loss, LSU fell to an overall record of 7-5 on the season and an 0-3 mark versus Southeastern Conference rivals. The Lady Tigers’ three conference losses have all come on the road against top-notch opponents in No. 5 Florida, No. 10 Tennessee and No. 22 South Carolina.
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Lady Tigers on Sunday, as LSU travels to Athens, Ga., for a conference duel against No. 1-ranked Georgia.
The match will begin at 1 p.m. (Central time) at the Dan C. Magill Tennis Complex.
Tennessee improved to 13-4 on the season and upped its SEC mark to 4-1. The Lady Vols’ lone conference loss of the year was against No. 2 Vanderbilt.
The Lady Tigers fell behind early in Friday’s match as Tennessee earned a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. LSU’s tandem of Tami Botts and Perri Budd picked up a huge 9-7 victory on court No. 3, but the Lady Vols won on courts No. 1 and No. 2.
In singles play, LSU’s talented freshman Amanda Mang, recorded the Lady Tigers’ only win of the afternoon. Mang, a native of New Orleans, La., dropped Tennessee’s Majen Immink, 6-2, 6-4, to pick up her second SEC victory. She owns a cumulative record of 16-11 on the season.
The LSU women’s tennis team will next be in action on Sunday, as the Lady Tigers challenge the top-ranked Georgia Lady Bulldogs at 1 p.m. (Central time) in Athens, Ga.
#10 Tennessee 6, LSU 1
Doubles
1. Castellvi/Wiski (UT) def. Colosio/Fantilli, 8-3.
2. Cleveland/Immink (UT) def. McIlhaney/Mang, 8-5.
3. Botts/Budd (LSU) def. Cordell/Robards, 9-7.
Singles
1. Vilmarie Castellvi (UT) def. Bruna Colosio, 7-6(2), 6-1.
2. Kim Gates (UT) def. Tami Botts, 6-1, 6-1.
3. Agnes Wiski (UT) def. Rocio Fantilli, 2-6, 6-0, 7-5.
4. Amanda Mang (LSU) def. Majen Immink, 6-2, 6-4.
5. Crystal Cleveland (UT) def. Amy McIlhaney, 6-0, 6-2.
6. Ashley Robards (UT) def. Perri Budd, 6-2, 6-2.