ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The LSU women’s tennis team registered eight wins against tough competition in the inaugural Michigan Classic on Friday, as the Lady Tigers competed in their first action of the 2003 spring season here at the Varsity Tennis Courts.
“I was very pleased with how we played out there today,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “Our players were going up against some tough competition, but they fought extremely hard and picked up some big victories. It was definitely a good start for us.”
In singles play at the Varsity Tennis Courts in Ann Arbor, Mich., LSU’s Jessica Ferguson, Marina Chiarelli, Daysi Espinal and Lauren Seaman each recorded wins against opponents from the University of Wisconsin.
Ferguson, the Lady Tigers’ highly-touted junior-college transfer from Tyler Community College, earned her first LSU victory on Friday as she defeated the Lady Badgers’ Katie McGaffigan, 6-3, 7-6(3). Chiarelli and Seaman also recorded straight-set victories over their Wisconsin counterparts, while Espinal came from behind to outlast Teresa Gonzaga, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
“Our singles play looked very strong today,” Minnis said. “I was worried that we would be a little rusty after the holidays, but we came out and looked extremely fresh. We played with a lot of intensity and worked hard, however there are still some improvements that have to be made before the dual-match season.”
In doubles play, LSU was victorious in four of its seven matches as the Lady Tigers’ combinations of Seaman/Chiarelli, White/Budd, Mang/Ferguson and Espinal/Seaman earned wins against competition from Eastern Michigan and Wisconsin.
Play at the 2003 Michigan Classic will resume on Saturday at 8 a.m. (CST) here at the Varsity Tennis Courts in Ann Arbor, Mich.
2003 Michigan Classic
Day One Results
Singles
Shana McElroy (UW) def. Amanda Mang (LSU), 6-2, 6-2
Jessica Ferguson (LSU) def. Katie McGaffigan (UW), 6-3, 7-6(3)
Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Lindsay Martin (UW), 6-4, 6-0
Lara Vojnov (UW) def. Camilla Caliari (LSU), 6-2, 6-0
Daysi Espinal (LSU) def. Teresa Gonzaga (UW), 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
Lauren Seaman (LSU) def. Alise Cogger (UW), 6-3, 6-3
Lexi Goldin (UW) def. Bonnie White (LSU), 2-6, 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
D’Amelio/Hawkins (EMU) def. Mang/Ferguson (LSU), 8-6
Kansuthi/Clark (EMU) def. Espinal/Caliari (LSU), 8-5
Seaman/Chiarell (LSU) def. Lincaru/Gamarnik (EMU), 8-4
White/Budd (LSU) def. Ryan/Adzic (EMU), 8-5
Mang/Ferguson (LSU) def. McGaffigan/Vojnov (UW), 9-8(4)
Espinal/Seaman (LSU) def. Goldin/Cogger (UW), 8-5
Martin/Gonzaga (UW) def. Chiarelli/Caliari (LSU), 8-4