HOUSTON — Despite missing two of its six starters, the LSU women’s tennis team swept the Houston Cougars on Monday as the Lady Tigers picked up a resounding 7-0 victory in their first road action of the 2003 season.
“I’m extremely proud of this team,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “We had two of our starters in Jessica (Ferguson) and Camila (Caliari) pull up with injuries literally 10 minutes before the match, but the rest of our team played well and our reserves really stepped up. This was a huge win for us on the road against a really good Houston squadef.”
With the win, LSU improved to 5-1 on the season and recorded its fifth shutout victory of the 2003 campaign. The Lady Tigers began dual-match play by shutting out Louisiana Tech, 7-0, Centenary, 7-0, Southern, 6-0, and Louisiana-Monroe, 7-0, before dropping a heartbreaker against Florida State, 4-3, on Feb. 2.
Houston (2-3) fell for the first time during the 2003 season at the John E. Hoff Tennis Stadium on Monday. The Cougars came into their non-conference matchup versus LSU with a 2-0 record at home after breezing by Texas-Pan American, 7-0, and defeating Louisiana Tech, 6-1.
“I was really proud of the way that each and every one of our players competed out there today,” Minnis saidef. “With the injuries, it could have been very easy for our girls to back off and throw in the towel, but they fought even harder knowing that they had their backs against the wall.”
The LSU women’s tennis team will next be in action on Saturday, Feb. 15, as the Lady Tigers head to College Station, Texas, to face off with the Texas A&M Lady Aggies at 1 p.m.
Singles
No. 1 Rocio Fantilli (LSU) def. Miranda Foley (UH) 5-7,6-3,11-9
No. 2 Amanda Mang (LSU) def. Analia Longoni (UH) 6-1,6-4
No. 3 Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Karine Urbin (UH) 6-4,6-0
No. 4 Daysi Espinal (LSU) def. Kami Miller (UH) 6-4,6-3
No. 5 Lauren Seaman (LSU) def. Sandra Blajer (UH) 6-0,6-1
No. 6 Bonnie White (LSU) def. Cristina Rueda Flores Bravo (UH) 6-0,6-3
Doubles
No. 1 Fantilli/Seaman (LSU) def. Urbin/Foley (UH) 8-5
No. 2 Sarah Flood /Miller (UH) tied with Camila Caliari/Espinal (LSU) 7-7 ret.
No. 3 Mang/Chiarelli (LSU) def. Longoni/Flores (UH) 8-4