MIDLAND, Texas — After getting off to a slow start the LSU women’s tennis team responded with victories in singles and doubles at The Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational hosted by The Racquet Club in Midland, Texas, on Friday.
LSU’s two seniors, Tiffany Tucker and Anastasiya Dubova, each won consolation second-round matches after faltering early in the day. Tucker knocked off Jana Mackova of Boise State in dominant fashion 6-3, 6-2 while Dubova defeated Jennifer Ryba of New Mexico 7-5, 6-2.
In doubles Tucker and Dubova paired up for the 32-seed tournament. In the first round the duo beat Rebecca Lin and Varsha Shiva Shakar of Rice 8-5 but fell in the second round to the tournament’s top-seeded and the nation’s 20th-ranked Elizabeth Lumpkin and Stephanie Wetmore of UCLA 8-2.
“We were a little disappointed at the start this morning,” assistant coach Lisa Jackson said. “The girls showed some good fight in the second round matches, so overall it was a satisfying day. We look to continue the run tomorrow.”
Early on all three Lady Tigers struggled as freshman Kylie Adamek, playing in Flight Two, fell to Rachael Wilhelm of North Texas 6-4, 6-3. Unlike Tucker and Dubova, who each played two singles matches on the day, Adamek only played one. However, Adamek will play two matches Saturday because of Flight Two’s round-robin format.
In doubles Adamek paired up with Zuzana Chmelarova of Baylor, and the tandem beat Victoria Tessmarr of New Mexico and Mackova of Boise State in a tough 9-7 match.
In Flight One Tucker played well in her first round singles match despite falling in a hard-fought, three-set battle with the nation’s 78th-ranked Nina Munch-Soegaard of TCU 6-3, 4-6, 10-5.
Singles action at The Racquet Club will continue at 9 a.m. Saturday. Doubles play has yet to be determined.
The Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational
Day One Results
Singles
Flight One
First Round
No. 78 Nina Munch-Soegaard (TCU) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 6-3, 4-6, 10-5 (super tiebreaker)
Julie Chao (Rice) def. Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) 6-0, 6-0
Consolation Second Round
Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Jana Mackova (Boise State) 6-3, 6-2
Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Jennifer Ryba (New Mexico) 7-5, 6-2
Flight Two
Round Robin
Rachael Wilhelm (North Texas) def. Kylie Adamek (LSU) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles
Flight One
Round of 32
Tiffany Tucker/Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Rebecca Lin/Varsha Shiva Shakar (Rice) 8-5
Round of 16
No. 20 Elizabeth Lumpkin/Stephanie Wetmore (UCLA) def. Tiffany Tucker/Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) 8-2
Flight Two
Kylie Adamek (LSU)/Zuzana Chmelarova (Baylor) def. Victoria Tessmarr (New Mexico)/Jana Mackova (Boise State) 9-7
Day Two Schedule
Singles
Flight One
Consolation Quarterfinals
Tiffany Tucker (LSU) vs. No. 86 Elizabeth Lumpkin (UCLA), 9 a.m.
Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) vs. Monika Hadvigerova (UT-Arlington), 9 a.m.
Flight Two
Round Robin
Kylie Adamek (LSU) vs. Victoria Tessmarr (New Mexico), 9 a.m.
Kylie Adamek (LSU) vs. Sofie Lifanova (UT-Arlington), TBD