STARKVILLE, Miss. — The LSU women’s tennis team, which has struggled in third sets all year long, used a third-set victory Sunday to clinch its first Southeastern Conference win over Mississippi State, 5-2, at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre.
The Lady Tigers (9-9, 1-7 SEC) competed with solid singles play to come back after dropping the doubles point to defeat a Mississippi State squad who beat them twice, 4-3, last season.
“It feels good to finally get this win in,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “Mississippi State gave a tough battle, but we took advantages of the opportunities we were presented with and came away with a hard-fought win.”
Senior Camila Caliari, who has been limited to playing singles matches only with a nagging injury, came through for LSU in its first conference win. She dropped her first set, 7-5, to Elna de Villiers on court five. She then stormed back in her next two sets, claiming them both by a 6-3 margin.
“It’s been tough for Camila being hurt lately, and she came out slow today,” Minnis said. “But she fought back in her second set, and once she took the lead, I knew with her determination and experience she would pull it out.”
While LSU ended a four-match losing streak Sunday, the Lady Bulldogs fell to 3-12 (1-7 SEC) with the loss, unable to snap a four-match losing skid of their own.
The Lady Tigers played another very close doubles point despite dropping the early decision. Martina Banikova and de Villiers outlasted Mykala Hedberg and Tiffany Tucker on the one court, 8-6. And even though Marina Chiarelli and Anastasiya Dubova would go on to beat Renee Joseph and Polina Kokoulina, 8-6, on court two, Mississippi State earned the doubles clincher on court three before LSU had its first victory.
Daniela Juskova and Anastasia Kugakolova clinched the doubles point for the Lady Bulldogs with their 8-5 win over Daysi Epinal and Lauren Seaman.
The Lady Tigers made up for the doubles loss with stellar play in singles.
Dubova finished off her opponent first, handing Banikova the loss on court three, 6-2, 6-4. Hedberg then fell on court one to Kugakolova in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
That was the last match the Lady Tigers would lose, however, as all four remaining match-ups went LSU’s way.
The Lady Tigers’ next point came by way of Tucker on court four, who downed Kokoulina in straight-sets, 6-4, 7-5. Espinal added to LSU’s tally by ousting Tatiana Feit, 7-5, 6-4, on the six court. The senior has won three of her last four singles matches on the No. 6 court.
After beating Joseph her first set in a tiebreaker on court two, Chiarelli had the chance to clinch the match for the Lady Tigers in another tiebreaker in her second set. She went ahead early, 4-2, but didn’t manage a point after that as Joseph took the second set, 7-6.
Her match moved to a third set, and it was Caliari’s victory on court five that clinched LSU its first SEC win.
Chiarelli controlled her final set, winning 6-3 and extending the Lady Tigers’ margin of victory to 5-2.
The Lady Tigers return home to welcome both Alabama and Auburn to W.T. Robinson Tennis Stadium next weekend.
MATCH RESULTS
#57 LSU 5, Mississippi State 2
Doubles
1. Martina Banikova/Elna de Villiers (MSU) def. Mykala Hedberg/Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 8-6
2. Marina Chiarelli/Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Renee Joseph/Polina Kokoulina (MSU) 8-6
3. Daniela Juskova/Anastasisa Kugakolova (MSU) def. Daysi Espinal/Lauren Seaman (LSU) 8-5
Singles
1. Anastasia Kugakolova (MSU) def. Mykala Hedberg (LSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Marina Chiarelli (LSU) def. Renee Joseph (MSU) 7-6(2), 6(4)-7, 6-3
3. Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Martina Banikova (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Polina Kokoulina (MSU) 6-4, 7-5
5. Camila Caliari (LSU) def. Elna de Villiers (MSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
6. Daysi Espinal (LSU) def. Tatiana Feit (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
Match Notes
LSU #57 9-9 (1-7 SEC)
MSU 3-12 (1-7 SEC)
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2) Singles (3,1,4,6,5,2)