RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — LSU’s women’s tennis star Megan Falcon and partner Audra Cohen came up short of the bronze medal as they lost 7-5, 6-0 to Teliana Pereira and Joana Cortez of Brazil in the Doubles Bronze Medal match at the Pan American Games on Sunday.
“Being able to come to Brazil to play an event like the Pan American Games was a great experience,” Falcon said. “Although we did not medal, we still put ourselves in the position to do so and learned a great deal from the games.”
Falcon and Cohen started off strong, winning four out of the first five games to take a 4-1 lead in the first set. After both teams held serve in the next two games to make the score 5-2, the Brazilians rattled off five straight games to take the first set 7-5.
In the second set Falcon and Cohen struggled to find rhythm. The pair double faulted four times and won only 36 percent of their first serve points compared to 73 percent in the first set.
Pereira and Cortez dominated the second set by staving off all break point opportunities while breaking the Americans three out of four times to take the match and the bronze medal.
“It’s a great accomplishment that she put herself in position to play for the bronze medal,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “It is an experience I’m sure she’ll never forget, and it’s a good experience for her now and for her career after college.”
XV Pan American Games
Doubles Round of 16
Megan Falcon/Audra Cohen (USA) def. Erika Clarke/Melissa Torres Sandoval (Mexico), 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Quarterfinals
Megan Falcon/Audra Cohen (USA) def. (4) Marie-Eve Pelletier/Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada), 6-1, 6-4
Doubles Semifinals
(1) Jorgelina Cravero/Betina Jozami (Argentina) def. Megan Falcon/Audra Cohen (USA), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles Bronze Medal Match
(3) Teliana Pereira/Joana Cortez (Brazil) def. Megan Falcon/Audra Cohen (USA), 7-5, 6-0