BATON ROUGE — The LSU women’s tennis team is off to its best start since 1999 after beating Rice 6-1 on Sunday.
Jessica Ferguson, LSU’s senior from Houston, clinched the match with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Rice’s 51st-ranked Lauren Archer at No. 1 singles.
“I think that was the best overall match I’ve seen our team play in a couple of years,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “I knew Rice was a very good team. They recently beat (No. 40) Minnesota. We just came and jumped on them and never let up.”
Ferguson’s win came after a tough loss at No. 2 doubles with Marina Chiarelli. The match came to a tiebreaker before Tracie Chong and Karen Chao put it away. It was the first doubles loss for Ferguson and Chiarelli and for any LSU doubles team in the dual season.
The Lady Tigers (6-0) have reeled off two big wins at home in their last two matches. They beat a higher-ranked Purdue team last week, 4-3.
The team’s fast start has not surprised Minnis.
“I feel like this is the most focused team we’ve had in two or three years,” he said. “I knew Purdue and Rice were matches that we were definitely capable of losing, but I knew if we came out and competed hard we had a very good chance of winning.”
Camila Caliari and Lauren Seaman continued their undefeated seasons with wins at No. 5 and No. 6 singles. The two easily won their doubles match, 8-2 over Yasmin Fisher and Annie Goodrich.
Rocio Fantilli and Amanda Mang also won their match at No. 1 doubles, 8-2, bringing them to a 6-0 doubles record in dual matches.
Rice’s only point came from a 6-4, 6-3 win by Blair DiSesa over LSU’s Amanda Mang at No. 2 singles.
If LSU beats Houston next Saturday at 11 a.m. at home they will own the program’s first 7-0 record since the 1995 team that finished ranked 18th in the nation.
Tennis Match Results — Rice vs LSU
Feb 08, 2004 at Baton Rouge, La.
LSU 6, Rice 1
Singles competition:
1. Jessica Ferguson (LSU) def. #51 Lauren Archer (RU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Blair DiSesa (RU) def. Amanda Mang (LSU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Rocio Fantilli (LSU) def. Tracie Chong (RU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Karen Chao (RU) 6-1, 6-1
5. Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Yasmin Fisher (RU) 6-3, 6-1
6. Lauren Seaman (LSU) def. Annie Goodrich (RU) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles competition:
1. Amanda Mang/Rocio Fantilli (LSU) def. Lauren Archer/Blair DiSesa (RU) 8-2
2. Tracie Chong/Karen Chao (RU) def. Jessica Ferguson/Marina Chiarelli (LSU) 9-7 (7-3)
3. Lauren Seaman/Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Yasmin Fisher/Annie Goodrich (RU) 8-2
Match Notes:
LSU 5-0; National ranking #49
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (3,6,2,1,5,4)
Official: Richie Weaver