ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Freshmen Staten Spencer and Tiffany Tucker both picked up wins for the LSU women’s tennis team to open up spring competition at the Michigan Invitational.
“The two freshmen played great,” coach Tony Minnis said. “It was really impressive the way they were able to come in to face a team like Michigan and play as well as they did.”
The remaining Lady Tigers were not as successful. Senior Amanda Mang lost her match to Michigan’s No. 34-ranked Michelle DaCosta in two sets. Lauren Seaman, Marina Chiarelli and Camila Caliari also lost in two sets, though Seaman brought hers to a tiebreaker in the second match before the loss to Elizabeth Exon, the nation’s No. 57-ranked singles player.
Daysi Espinal lost her first set, 4-6, but then took the second, 6-4. However, she could not hold the momentum and fell in the third set, 6-2, to Michigan’s Monica Sly.
The Lady Tigers had a tough opener for doubles competition as well, falling in all three matches to Georgia Tech. Mang and Tucker kept their match close against the duo of Kelly Anderson and Lyndsay Shosho, but ended up falling 8-6.
“The team just didn’t play with as much confidence today as I’d like to see them have,” Minnis said. “Hopefully we can pick that up and play better tomorrow.”
Play in the hidden dual match tournament resumes Saturday with LSU facing off against Michigan in doubles and Eastern Michigan in singles.
MICHIGAN INVITATIONAL RESULTS — Day One
Singles
1. #34 Michelle DaCosta (U-M) def. #120 Amanda Mang (LSU), 6-0, 6-1
2. #57 Elizabeth Exon (U-M) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU), 6-3, 7-6(4)
3. Kara Delicata (U-M) def. Marina Chiarelli (LSU), 6-1, 6-4
4. Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Nina Yaftali (U-M), 6-3, 6-2
5. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Debra Streifler (U-M), 3-6, 6-0, 6-2
6. Lindsey Goldstein (U-M) def. Camila Caliari (LSU), 6-4, 6-3
7. Monica Sly (U-M) def. Daysi Espinal (LSU), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
Silverio/Miller (GT) def. Seaman/Spencer (LSU), 8-1
Anderson/Shosho (GT) def. Mang/ Tucker (LSU), 8-6
Anson/Potapova (GT) def. Chiarelli/ Espinal (LSU), 8-2