COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The LSU women’s tennis team begins its fall season Friday at the Maryland Invitational hosted by the University of Maryland. This is the second straight year the Lady Tigers have opened the season at this tournament.
Five LSU players will make their debuts as Lady Tigers in this tournament. Sophmore Megan Falcon, freshmen Nicole Kantor, Sloane Mathis, Ashley Murdock and Hannah Robinson are well prepared for their premiere.
“I think it’s good to give our five new players a chance to get their feet wet,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “These kids have been working really hard in practice the past two weeks and hopefully that work will pay off this weekend.”
Four other teams will compete with LSU, including host Maryland, Penn State, Yale and Virginia, who finished ranked No. 23 a year ago.
Returning Lady Tigers that will be participating in the tournament include junior Tiffany Tucker and sophomores Mykala Hedberg and Staten Spencer.
In singles play, Hedberg will have a bye in the opening round of the “A” flight and will face the winner of the match between Yale’s Jessie Rhee and Maryland’s Maggie MacKeever. Kantor will also represent the Lady Tigers in the “A” flight as she will face Yale’s Janet Kim.
In the “B” flight singles, Spencer makes her return to action as she faces West Virginia’s Kelly Walsh. Robinson will take on West Virginia’s Natalia Prinz.
Tucker and Murdock will also battle two Mountaineers in the “C” flight going heads up against Gabriella Blaskovicova and Stephanie LaFortune, respectively.
Mathis will be the fifth Lady Tigers to face a Mountaineer as she takes on West Virginia’s Ashley Constantine.
Hedberg and Robinson will begin the doubles competition as they face West Virginia’s Blaskovicova and LaFortune in the “A” flight. Kantor and Spencer will pair up against Penn State’s Andreea Niculescu and Sarah Lotto.
Tucker and Murduck will represent the Lady Tigers in the “B” flight. The doubles duo will compete against West Virginia’s Moncia Lyskawa and Colleen Speaker.
Play begins 9 a.m. Friday.