NEW ORLEANS — The LSU women’s tennis team failed to make it five straight wins with a 7-0 loss at 15th-ranked Tulane on Wednesday.
Tulane controlled the match from start to finish, handing LSU its 10th loss of the season and first in five matches. The Lady Tigers’ record dropped to 11-10 with the decision.
“It was just one of those days,” head coach Tony Minnis said. “Tulane played extremely well and we didn’t play anywhere near the way we were capable of.”
It was only the third time this season LSU has been swept, the other times coming in losses to top-five teams Florida and Kentucky.
The doubles point, which the Lady Tigers had dominated the last four matches, went to Tulane to start the competition. Marina Chiarelli and Camila Caliari kept the court three match close, but Tulane ended up sweeping the point.
LSU also struggled through singles play, failing to win a single set of any match.
Chiarelli, Tiffany Tucker and Caliari all saw their individual streaks of five, six and seven matches, respectively, come to an end with losses.
Tulane’s No. 47-ranked Jenny Kuehn clinched the match for the Wave with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Lauren Seaman on court two, improving their overall record to 18-5 with their 10th victory in a row. It was only the fourth time Tulane has defeated the Lady Tigers in 32 matches and the first time at its home stadium.
“We just looked mentally tired out there,” Minnis said. “We were out-played by Tulane. But we’ll bounce back. We just have to focus on getting back on track for the Arkansas match.”
The Lady Tigers face Arkansas in Fayetteville at 1 p.m. Saturday to close out the regular season.
#15 Tulane 7, #42 LSU 0
Singles:
1. Maria Ivanov (TU) def. Amanda Mang (LSU): 6-1, 6-4
2. #47 Jenny Kuehn (TU) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU): 6-0, 6-3*
3. Julie Smekodub (TU) def. Staten Spencer (LSU): 6-3, 6-4
4. Darya Ivanov (TU) def. Maria Chiarelli (LSU): 6-4, 6-2
5. #97 Nancy Kockott (TU) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU): 6-1, 6-4
6. Dorottya Magas (TU) def. Camila Caliari (LSU): 6-0, 6-3
Order of singles finish – 5, 6, 2, 4, 1, 3
Doubles:
1. #46 Ivanov/Ivanov (TU) def. Seaman/Tucker (LSU): 8-4
2. #34 Kuehn/Smekodub (TU) def. Mang/Spencer (LSU): 8-4
3. Kockott/Magas (TU) def. Chiarelli/Caliari (LSU): 8-6
Order of doubles finish – 1, 2, 3