LUBBOCK, Texas — Led by strong play in singles and doubles, the LSU women’s tennis team advanced at the Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Southwest Regional Championships in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.
In the singles main draw, the Lady Tigers won four out of six matches, led by the dominating play of Staten Spencer and Anastasiya Dubova. Spencer defeated Roxana Enica of Stephen F. Austin 6-1, 6-2, and Dubova knocked off Texas Tech’s Gozde Unkaya 6-3, 6-1. Nicole Kantor almost made it five victories, but she fell in three sets to Irina Sotnikova of Sam Houston State 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-2.
“It was a nice day,” head coach Tony Minnis said. “Everybody played well. Nicole played well in her first real match since spring. We’re also excited about two doubles teams advancing, and we’re hoping for a good day tomorrow.”
In doubles, LSU’s two seeded teams came away with dominating victories. Sixth-seeded Dubova and Mykala Hedberg crushed Caroline Dedering and Karen Schida of UT-San Antonio 8-2, and fifth-seeded Spencer and Megan Falcon defeated Lainy Chafitz and Andrea Giraldo of Texas State 8-1.
In the qualifying singles bracket Ashley Murdock‘s run came to an end as she fell to eighth-seeded Kristen Reid of SMU in a tough, hard-fought match 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Play resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. with main draw singles and doubles.
ITA Southwest Regionals
Day Two Results
Singles
Qualifying Round of 16
(8) Kristen Reid (SMU) def. Ashley Murdock (LSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
Main Draw First Round
Olga Panova (TAM-CC) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 6-1, 6-1
Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Leah Roberts (TTU) 7-6 (4), 6-3
Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Laura Ring (TTU) 6-3, 6-4
Irina Sotnikova (SHSU) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU) 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-2
Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Roxana Enica (SFA) 6-1, 6-2
Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Gozde Unkaya (TTU) 6-3, 6-1
Consolation Round of 16
Idalina Franca (UNT) def. Kylie Adamek (LSU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles
Consolation Round of 32
Kylie Adamek (LSU)/Manami Kuroda (Lamar) def. Sofya Lifanova/Sara Pesic (UTA) walkover
Main Draw Round of 32
(6) Anastasiya Dubova/Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Caroline Dedering/Karen Schida (UTSA) 8-2
(5) Megan Falcon/Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Lainy Chafitz/Andrea Giraldo (TSU) 8-1
(7) Janet Durham/Kelsy Garland (TTU) def. Hannah Robinson/Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 8-3