CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The LSU women’s tennis team was ousted from the NCAA Regional Tournament on Saturday as it fell, 4-1, to No. 22 Duke at the University of North Carolina’s Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center.
“Duke played really well. I was impressed. I knew they had a lot of talent, but they played an outstanding match and I give a lot of credit to them,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “I don’t want these kids to get down because they had a nice year. We are just going to have to re-group and get ready for next year.”
Doubles play began outdoors, but was suspended after only 23 minutes due to inclement weather. After a one hour and 51 minute delay, play resumed indoors and the Blue Devils grabbed the doubles point winning matches on courts one and three.
No. 10-ranked Melissa Mang and Daniela Bercek defeated No. 36-ranked Mykala Hedberg and Megan Falcon on court one, 8-2. Jessi Robinson and Amanda Granson clinched the point for Duke as they downed Nicole Kantor and Staten Spencer on court three, 8-4.
The match on court two between LSU’s Hannah Robinson and Anastasiya Dubova and Duke’s Tory Zawacki and Elizabeth Plotkin was suspended at 5-5.
The two teams remained indoors for singles play. The Blue Devils went ahead 2-0 with Mang’s win over Hedberg on court two, 6-0, 6-2. Granson put the Blue Devils up 3-0 with her win over Robinson on court four in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
The Lady Tigers grabbed its first point as No. 2 Falcon downed No. 67 Bercek on court one, 6-3, 6-2. Falcon remains undefeated on the season improving her overall record to 34-2, 24-0 in the No. 1 slot.
Deltour blanked Dubova on court six to clinch the win for the Blue Devils.
The Lady Tigers end the season with a 16-10 overall record.
Falcon and Robinson will travel to Athens, Ga. to compete in the NCAA Individuals Tournament beginning on May 22. Falcon is the tournmanent’s No. 2 seed in singles. She and Robinson are ranked No. 30 and will compete in the doubles portion of the tournament.
Match Results
No. 22 Duke 4, No. 36 LSU 1
Singles
1.#2 Megan Falcon (LSU) def. # 67 Daniela Bercek (Duke), 6-3, 6-2
2. #101 Melissa Mang (Duke) def. Mykala Hedberg (LSU), 6-0, 6-2
3. Elizabeth Plotkin (Duke) led Nicole Kantor (LSU), 6-1, 5-1, susp.
4. Amanda Granson (Duke) def. Hannah Robinson (LSU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Tory Zawacki (Duke) led Staten Spencer (LSU), 6-4, susp.
6. Clelia Deltour (Duke) def. Anastasiya Dubova (LSU), 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
1. #10 Mang/Bercek (Duke) def. #36 Hedberg/Falcon (LSU), 8-2
2. Zawacki/Plotkin (Duke) vs. Dubova/Robinson (LSU), 5-5, susp.
3. Robinson/Granson (Duke) def. Kantor/Spencer (LSU), 8-4
Order of Finish: D1, D3, S2, S4, S1, S6