GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The LSU women’s tennis team could not overcome injuries or 4th-ranked Florida as the Lady Tigers fell, 6-1 to the Gators at Linder Stadium at Ring Tennis Complex on Sunday.
LSU (10-8, 3-5 SEC) played without the services of Mykala Hedberg, Staten Spencer and Tiffany Tucker in singles because of the coaches’ decision to rest the injured players.
“It was a very tough match,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “Hopefully by next weekend we will be able to get healthy and get our lineup back on the courts. We know next weekend is going to be tough, so we are trying to get our starters back at full strength.”
Florida (14-1, 8-0) took control early by sweeping doubles. Nicole Kantor and Hannah Robinson paired up for only the second time this season, and the duo fell to Florida’s Whitney Benik and Lolita Frangulyan, who clinched the doubles point, 8-2.
In singles, LSU’s Robinson picked up the Lady Tigers’ only point of the match as she beat No. 117 Megan Alexander in straight sets, 7-5, 6-0. The win marked Robinson’s first career victory over a ranked opponent. Robinson’s record now stands at 22-7, tied with Megan Falcon for the team lead in wins.
No. 19 Falcon could not get it going against No. 36 Julia Cohen, who snapped Falcon’s five-match win streak, 6-2, 7-6 (4). The loss dropped Falcon’s overall record to 22-5 and her record against ranked foes to 10-5.
Chandler Kleinpeter saw her first action as a Lady Tiger, but the junior from Baton Rouge could not overcome the strong play of Frangulyan, who beat Chandler, 6-1, 6-1.
Sloane Mathis participated in conference play for the first time in her career as she competed at the No. 5 spot in singles, but No. 93 Anastasia Revzina took the match, 6-1, 6-0.
LSU will return home to face Prairie View A&M at 2 p.m. on Wednesday in a match that was originally scheduled for March 16. The Lady Tigers will return to conference play next weekend at home against Mississippi State on Friday and Ole Miss on Sunday.
#4 Florida 6, #27 LSU 1
March 30, 2008 at Gainesville, Fla.
Singles competition:
1. #36 Julia Cohen (UF) def. #19 Megan Falcon (LSU) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
2. #28 Csilla Borsanyi (UF) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU) 6-1, 6-0
3. Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. #117 Megan Alexander (UF) 7-5, 6-0
4. Whitney Benik (UF) def. Kylie Adamek (LSU) 6-0, 6-2
5. #93 Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. Sloane Mathis (LSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Lolita Frangulyan (UF) def. Chandler Kleinpeter (LSU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles competition:
1. #8 Megan Alexander/Marrit Boonstra (UF) def. Megan Falcon/Mykala Hedberg (LSU) 8-3
2. Whitney Benik/Lolita Frangulyan (UF) def. Nicole Kantor/Hannah Robinson (LSU) 8-2
3. #44 Julia Cohen/Anastasia Revzina (UF) def. Kylie Adamek/Sloane Mathis (LSU) 8-0
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,4,5,2,3,1)