ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The LSU women’s tennis team experienced a tough first day of the Michigan Classic in singles, but partners Mykala Hedberg and Anastasiya Dubova picked up a doubles win to open competition.
The duo defeated Bojana Bobusic and Marion Ravelojaona of California, 8-6, to capture the only victory for the Lady Tigers on the day.
Lauren Seaman and Tiffany Tucker fell in their doubles match to Cal’s seventh-ranked Suzi Babos and Zsuzsanna Fodor.
All five of LSU’s singles competitors dropped their matches as well, though Seaman and Dubova each took her match into three sets.
Seaman, who fell in her first set, 6-3, to Michigan’s 48th-ranked Nina Yaftali, came back to win a close second set, 7-6(5). However, the third set went Yaftali’s way, as she won it, 6-1.
After falling 6-0 in her first set to Elizabeth Exon, Dubova won the second in commanding fashion, 6-1. But she could not overcome her opponent in the third set, falling 6-2.
Tournament play for the Lady Tigers continues Saturday with singles matches versus fourth-ranked Georgia Tech at 12:30 p.m. and doubles matches versus No. 35 Michigan at 3:30 p.m.
For the yellow jackets, Kristi Miller ranks seventh nationally in singles. Tarryn Rudman lists at No. 25 for Georgia Tech as well, followed by Kelly Anderson at No. 35 and Lyndsay Shosho at No. 71.
MICHIGAN CLASSIC — day one results
Singles
1. #48 Nina Yaftali (UM) def. Lauren Seaman (LSU), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1
2. #76 Debra Streifler (UM) def. Mykala Hedberg (LSU), 6-3, 6-3
3. Kara Delicata (UM) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Elizabeth Exon (UM) def. Anastasiya Dubova (LSU), 6-0, 1-6, 6-2
5. Chisako Sugiyama (UM) def. Daysi Espinal (LSU), 6-2, 6-1
Doubles
1. #7 Babos/Fodor (Cal) def. Seaman/Tucker (LSU), 8-4
2. Dubova/Hedberg (LSU) def. Bobusic/Ravelojaona (Cal), 8-6