BATON ROUGE — Freshman Staten Spencer clinched the win for the LSU women’s tennis team in a 4-3 upset of No. 26 South Carolina, as the Lady Tigers defeated the Gamecocks for the first time since 1985 to split matches in its conference-opening weekend.
In defending its home court, the Lady Tigers brought their Robinson Stadium record this year to 6-1 and their overall record to 7-3 (1-1 Southeastern Conference). Since South Carolina joined the SEC, LSU had never defeated the Gamecocks before Sunday. It was Minnis’ first win over USC.
“We fought hard and put ourselves in a position to win,” head coach Tony Minnis said. “South Carolina is a tough, competitive team, and they were undefeated coming into this match. We’ve lost a couple of close ones earlier in the year, but were able to get this one our way.”
The match came down to court three between USC’s Laura Ganzer and Spencer in the biggest match in the freshman’s career so far. She had lost the first set, but came back for a 6-4 second-set victory.
In the all-important third set, Spencer jumped to an early lead and never looked back. She only allowed her opponent one game, dominating the third set 6-1 and clinching the match for the Lady Tigers.
“I started off kind of slow, but I thought if I could win the second set and take her to a third set she was getting tired and playing more defensively,” Spencer explained. “I started playing a little more aggressively in the second set, and then in the third I just fought for every point.”
The loss was the first for South Carolina this season, dropping its record to 6-1(1-1 SEC).
The Lady Tigers returned to their winning ways in doubles, taking the point to start the match. They remained undefeated this season in matches when winning the doubles point.
Spencer and Amanda Mang finished first on court two, defeating Ganzer and Danielle Wiggins, 8-5.
Camila Caliari and Marina Chiarelli lost on court three, but the win by No. 48-ranked Lauren Seaman and Tiffany Tucker on court one clinched the first point of the match for LSU. They improved their record as a duo to 8-1 for the season.
The Lady Tigers jumped to a quick start in singles as well, grabbing first-set wins in four-of-six matches.
Caliari knocked off her opponent for the first singles point, defeating Justine Walsh in two sets, 6-2, 6-2, on court six.
Chiarelli won her first set in a 7-6(4) tiebreaker over Miranda Gutierrez. She then took control in the second set, winning 6-2 on court four.
“You have to credit Staten, but I really credit Marina as well,” Minnis explained. “She was in a situation where she was down in the first set, and once she got ahead, she really took the momentum.”
Other second sets proved to be not as decisive. On court five after winning easily in the first set 6-2, Tucker fell 3-6 to Magda Wojdoylo. Then in the third set, she could not hold a 3-2 lead and lost 6-3, giving South Carolina its first point of the match.
Mang got off to a sluggish start, falling on court one to Wiggins, 6-0, in the first set. The second set was much more competitive, but Mang was on the losing end as well, 7-5.
A 6-1 victory in the first set on court two for Seaman was also followed with a closer second set. And in the middle of that set, Seaman suffered an injury to her back. She fought hard and finished the match, but her injury almost completely limited any power in her swing and she lost, giving South Carolina its third point and tying the match at three apiece.
All eyes turned to Spencer on court three, and she did not disappoint. The freshman clinched the match for the Lady Tigers, improving her own individual record to 9-1 this dual-match season.
“With Lauren’s injury, I was really proud the team was able to stay focused and fight through it,” Minnis said. “Staten played her guts out, and you have to give her a lot of credit.”
The Lady Tigers’ schedule features another two-match conference homestand next weekend, as Georgia and Tennessee travel to Baton Rouge.
#43 LSU 4, #26 South Carolina 3
Singles competition:
1. Danielle Wiggins (USC) def. Amanda Mang (LSU) 6-0, 7-5
2. Christyn Lucas (USC) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU) 1-6, 7-5, 6-0
3. Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Laura Ganzer (USC) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
4. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Miranda Gutierrez (USC) 7-6(4), 6-2
5. Magda Wojdylo (USC) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Justine Walsh (USC) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition:
1. #48 Lauren Seaman/Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Magda Wojdylo/Christyn Lucas (USC) 8-6
2. Amanda Mang/Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Laura Ganzer/Danielle Wiggins (USC) 8-5
3. Fallon Koon/Miranda Gutierrez (USC) def. Camila Caliari/Marina Chiarelli (LSU) 8-4
Match Notes:
South Carolina 6-1(1-1); National ranking #26
LSU 7-3(1-1); National ranking #43
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1*); Singles (6,5,4,1,2,3*)
Clincher: D-1, S-3