CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The LSU women’s tennis team continued its strong play in the UVa Team Invitational by sweeping all nine matches against Purdue on the final day of the tournament Sunday.
The Lady Tigers got things started early by winning all three doubles matches. After coming up short in two straight matches, LSU’s Megan Falcon and Hannah Robinson rebounded against Cigdem Duru and Brooke Beier, 8-1. In Flight B, LSU’s 30th-ranked duo of Mykala Hedberg and Staten Spencer pulled out a close match against Stephanie Wooten and Alejandra Boeker, 8-6. In Flight C, senior Tiffany Tucker paired up with sophomore Nicole Kantor to defeat Joanna Craven and Anna Dzeva, 8-3.
“We played solidly up and down the line up in singles and doubles,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “To play at the level we played against Purdue was impressive, but we are going to keep working hard on the things we are trying to improve and hopefully play better.”
In singles action, eighth-ranked Falcon cruised past Beier, 6-0, 6-2 in Flight A. Hedberg responded after a tough loss the day before by beating Duru, 6-4, 6-3. In Flight C, Tucker continued her hot streak by knocking off Craven, 6-1, 6-2. The victory marked Tucker’s seventh straight on the season, and the Forth Worth, Texas native finished 6-0 in the tournament in singles and doubles play combined.
In Flight D, Robinson defeated Dzeva, 6-3, 6-2, and Spencer beat Boeker, 6-1, 6-2 in Flight E. After suffering a minor ankle injury during the fall, Kantor continued to display no ill effects as she defeated Whitney Reys, 6-3, 6-0.
In Flight G, senior Anastasiya Dubova took on Cathy Nimitz of Virginia, and Dubova won easily, 6-0, 6-2.
After closing out the tournament, the Lady Tigers will rest up before traveling to Tulsa, Okla., to take on the University of Tulsa on Jan. 27 in LSU’s first dual match of the season.
UVa Team Invitational
Day Three Results
Singles
Flight A
#8 Megan Falcon (LSU) def. Brooke Beier (Purdue) 6-0, 6-2
Flight B
Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Cigdem Duru (Purdue) 6-4, 6-3
Flight C
Tiffany Tucker (LSU) def. Joanna Craven (Purdue) 6-1, 6-2
Flight D
Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Anna Dzeva (Purdue) 6-3, 6-2
Flight E
Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Alejandra Boeker (Purdue) 6-1, 6-2
Flight F
Nicole Kantor (LSU) def. Whitney Reys (Purdue) 6-3, 6-0
Flight G
Anastasiya Dubova (LSU) def. Cathy Nimitz (UVa) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
Flight A
Megan Falcon/Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Cigdem Duru/Brooke Beier (Purdue) 8-1
Flight B
#30 Mykala Hedberg/Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Stephanie Wooten/Alejandra Boeker (Purdue) 8-6
Flight C
Tiffany Tucker/Nicole Kantor (LSU) def. Joanna Craven/Anna Dzeva (Purdue) 8-3