FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The LSU women’s tennis team ended its regular season with a 4-3 victory over the Lady’Backs in Arkansas.
The win brought the Lady Tigers to 12-10 overall (4-7 SEC) and gave them five wins in their last six matches.
“I really have to credit my team,” head coach Tony Minnis said. “They have played a lot of tennis over the last two weeks, and to come out with five wins in six matches in that short of time says a lot about them.”
Arkansas fell to 11-10 (1-10 SEC) with the loss. The Lady Tigers have now beaten Arkansas in seven straight contests.
LSU once again won the doubles point, making them 11-1 in matches when taking the early one-point lead.
Then in singles, LSU suffered two-set losses on courts one and two, but the bottom half of the lineup came through for the Lady Tigers as has been the case of late.
Marina Chiarelli defeated Iliana Pacheco, 6-4, 6-2, for LSU’s first singles win on court four. Camila Caliari also won in two sets over Audrey Bordeleau on court six.
Tiffany Tucker ensured a Lady Tigers victory with her long two-set victory (7-6, 7-6) on court five.
The wins marked the fourth straight SEC victory for Chiarelli, fifth for Tucker and sixth for Caliari.
This match also completed three played in five days, something the Lady Tigers have done two straight weeks. Minnis said he looks forward to getting a few days rest heading into the SEC Tournament, which begins Thursday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
“We’ve played some tough matches and some of our girls are a little banged up, so having this week to rest heading into SECs will be a good thing,” he said. “But we ended the season on a roll and hopefully we can continue that into the postseason.”
#42 LSU 4, Arkansas 3
Singles competition:
1. #78 Vlatka Jovanovic (UA) def. Amanda Mang (LSU) 6-3, 7-5
2. Karina Ledaja (UA) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU) 6-4, 6-4
3. Melissa Cornett (UA) def. Staten Spencer (LSU) 3-6, 7-5, 1-1, ret.
4. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Iliana Pacheco (UA) 6-2, 6-4
5. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Maryori Franco (UA) 7-6, 7-6
6. Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Audrey Bordeleau (UA) 6-3, 6-4
Doubles competition:
1. Maryori Franco/Karina Ledaja (UA) def. Lauren Seaman/Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 8-6
2. Amanda Mang/Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Vlatka Jovanovic/Melissa Cornett (UA) 8-5
3. Marina Chiarelli/Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Audrey Bordeleau/Iliana Pacheco (UA) 8-3