COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — The LSU women’s tennis team suffered its first loss of the season against No. 29 Texas A&M on Sunday, 5-2.
“We let the environment get to us. They have a great college environment for tennis,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “They played a great match and I give them credit for that.”
The Lady Tigers (2-1) could only grab one doubles match as partners Megan Falcon and Hannah Robinson fought on court one down to the wire. The 10th-ranked duo battled the Aggies 50th-ranked Tiffany Clifford and Sarah Foster winning the tiebreaker by a score of 7-3.
On courts two and three the Lady Tigers efforts came up short. Sophomores Mykala Hedberg and Staten Spencer fell to Texas A&M’s 25th-ranked Anna Lubinsky and Nicki Mechem, 8-3, on court two. Junior Tiffany Tucker and her partner freshman Nicole Kantor lost with the same score to Anna Blagodarova and Michelle Sammons.
In singles play, Kantor fell first to Blagodarova on court three, 6-3, 6-1, followed by Hedberg on court two, who lost to No. 50 Elze Potgieter, 6-2, 6-4. That put the Aggies up 3-0 needing just one more win to claim the match.
Robinson’s win on court five came next giving the Lady Tigers its first point. She retired the Aggie’s Mechem in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.
On court six Ashley Murdock lost her first set to Clifford, 4-6. She battled in the second set taking it to a tiebreaker, but unable to produce a win as she fell 7-6(1) giving Texas A&M its fourth point to secure the win.
On the remaining two courts the Lady Tigers continued to fight hard as Falcon and Spencer both played to three sets.
On court four Spencer fell quickly in her first set to Foster, 6-1. She fought back to grab the second set, 6-4, but was unable to claim the third as she fell 6-3.
Ending on a good note, LSU’s No. 2 Falcon defeated No. 48 Lubinsky on court one as she battled hard to come back from losing her second set. Falcon ended with a win by a score of 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
“We dug in and started playing hard, but we had gotten so far behind,” Minnis said. “I think we grew up a lot today.”
Up next, LSU will return home for a week of practice before traveling to Houston, Texas, to face Rice on Saturday, Feb. 17, followed by the University of Houston on Monday, Feb. 19.
Match Results
#29 Texas A&M 5, #54 LSU 2
Singles
1. #2 Megan Falcon (LSU) def. # 48 Anna Lubinsky (TAMU), 6-1,4-6,6-3
2. #50 Elze Potgieter (TAMU) def. # 83 Mykala Hedberg (LSU), 6-2, 6-4
3. Anna Blagadarova (TAMU) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU), 6-3, 6-1
4. Sarah Foster (TAMU) def. Staten Spencer (LSU), 6-1,4-6,6-3
5. Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Nicki Mechem (TAMU), 6-4,6-4
6. Tiffany Clifford (TAMU) def. Ashley Murdock (LSU, 6-4,7-6(1)
Doubles
1. #10 Megan Falcon/Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. #50 Tiffany Clifford/Sarah Foster (TAMU) 8-7(3)
2. #25 Anna Lubinsky/Nicki Mechem (TAMU) def. Mykala Hedberg/Staten Spencer (LSU, 8-3
3. Anna Blagadarova/Michelle Sammons (TAMU) def. Nicole Kantor/Tiffany Tucker (LSU), 8-3