FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The LSU women’s tennis team won its third-straight Southeastern Conference matchup on Saturday as the Lady Tigers closed out their 2003 regular season with a 6-1 victory on the road against the Arkansas Lady ‘Backs in Fayetteville, Ark.
“It’s always good to finish the regular season on a positive note,” said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. “We played some pretty good tennis today and it was a priority of ours to head into the SEC Tournament with a win. I’m proud of our team and how they competed, because it is definitely difficult to win on the road in the SEC.”
With the win, LSU improved to 12-11 on the season and concluded its 2003 SEC schedule with a 4-7 mark against conference opponents. The victory also secured the Lady Tigers a second-place finish in the Western Division and an eighth seed in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
LSU closed out SEC play with a three-match winning streak after starting a dismal 1-7 against conference opponents. The Lady Tigers defeated Mississippi State, 5-2, Ole Miss, 4-3, and the Arkansas Lady ‘Backs, 6-1, to finish off its SEC regular season.
Arkansas fell to an 8-13 overall record on the season and registered its second-consecutive 0-11 mark against conference opponents. The Lady ‘Backs have not won an SEC contest since the 2000 dual-match season.
“They (Arkansas) are struggling a bit right now, but they have a great coach in Kevin (Platt) and their young players will mature and get better with time,” Minnis said. “They’ve had some tough losses this season, but I’m sure that they’ll be back stronger next year. We just need to take this winning momentum with us into the SEC Tournament.”
LSU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in Saturday’s Western Division matchup by sweeping the doubles competition.
On court No. 2, the Lady Tigers’ doubles pair comprised of Jessica Ferguson and Marina Chiarelli breezed by Arkansas’ Anna Dybicz and Monika Dybicz, 8-2, while Daysi Espinal and Camila Caliari dropped the Lady’Backs’ Mellisa Cornett and Whitney Morton, 8-6, on court No. 3. LSU’s 43rd-ranked tandem of Rocio Fantilli and Lauren Seaman clinched the doubles point on court No. 1 by defeating Arkansas’ Simona Arghire and Iliana Pacheco, 8-3.
Fantilli, LSU’s No. 1 singles player, continued the Lady Tigers’ scoring spree in singles play with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Arghire. With the victory, Fantilli improved to an overall record of 16-18 on the season and a 3-8 mark against conference opponents.
The Lady Tigers’ Chiarelli, Caliari and Seaman also posted straight-set victories on Saturday.
Chiarelli knocked off Pacheco, 6-1, 6-3, on court No. 3, while Caliari picked up the match-clinching win on court No. 5 over Morton, 6-3, 6-1, and Seaman held on to defeat M. Dybicz, 6-2, 7-6(4), in the No. 6 singles contest. With the win, Seaman upped her dual-match record to 7-5 on the season.
Ferguson, the Lady Tigers’ No. 2 singles player, outlasted Arkansas’ A. Dybicz in a three-set marathon. With the 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 victory, Ferguson snapped a two-match losing streak and registered her seventh singles win of the season.
Arkansas’ lone point of the match came on court No. 4 where the Lady Tigers’ Espinal was forced to retire due to an injury. While leading 6-3, 3-3, in her match, LSU’s Espinal pulled up lame and could not continue to compete against the Lady ‘Backs’ Cornett. Cornett was awarded with a victory.
The LSU women’s tennis team will next be in action on Thursday, April 17, as the Lady Tigers begin competition at the 2003 SEC Tournament being held in Knoxville, Tenn. The matchups and times for the SEC Tournament have yet to be determined by the SEC League Office in Birmingham, Ala.
LSU (12-11, 4-7 SEC) def. Arkansas (8-13, 0-11 SEC), 6-1
UA Varsity Courts – Fayetteville, Ark.
Doubles
1. Fantilli/Seaman (LSU) def. Arghire/Pacheco (ARK), 8-3*
2. Ferguson/Chiarelli (LSU) def. A. Dybicz/M. Dybicz (ARK), 8-2
3. Espinal/Caliari (LSU) def. Cornett/Morton (ARK), 8-6
Singles
1. Rocio Fantilli (LSU) def. Simona Arghire (ARK), 6-3, 6-3
2. Jessica Ferguson (LSU) def. Anna Dybicz (ARK), 4-6, 6-0, 6-4
3. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Iliana Pacheco (ARK), 6-1, 6-3
4. Mellisa Cornett (ARK) def. Daysi Espinal (LSU), 3-6, 3-3(ret.)
5. Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Whitney Morton (ARK), 6-3, 6-1**
6. Lauren Seaman (LSU) def. Monika Dybicz (ARK), 6-2, 7-6(4)
* Clinched the doubles point
** Clinched the match