TULSA, Okla. — LSU’s 15th-ranked Megan Falcon will open up the singles portion of the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships against Southern California’s 57th-ranked Lindsey Nelson in the first round at noon on Wednesday at Tulsa’s Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
Falcon, a junior from Alameda, Calif., will look to avenge a loss to Nelson that occurred in last season’s NCAA tournament. Falcon, ranked No. 2 at the time, fell to fifth-ranked Nelson in straight sets, 7-6(2), 6-2. The loss came in the semifinal round, the furthest any Lady Tiger has ever advanced.
“This is a shot for Megan to make a nice run in the NCAA Tournament,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “She has been playing solid tennis in the last month, and I know she is looking forward to competing. This is going to be a tough first round match, so hopefully Megan can come out and play to her potential.”
Falcon, a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection, enters the match against Nelson with a 27-6 overall record and a 19-4 dual record. On the season, Falcon holds a 12-6 record against ranked opponents, including a straight-set win over the nation’s top-ranked player and No. 1 seed, Aurelija Miseviciute of Arkansas.
Nelson, a senior from Villa Park, Calif., enters the match with a 13-14 overall record and an 11-11 dual record at the No. 1 position for the Trojans. Nelson also carries a four-match losing streak into the singles tournament after having three matches in a row suspended. The team matches officially ended before she could finish.
Over the past two seasons Falcon has compiled 65 total wins, which is more than any Lady Tiger during a two-year stretch since Dana De Watlington recorded 70 victories from 1984-1986.
Last season, Falcon recorded 38 wins overall and picked up four in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Nelson. In the first round, Falcon breezed past Fresno State’s 64th-ranked Renata Kucerkova, 6-1, 6-3.
Falcon faced some trouble in the second round when she defeated No. 30 Catrina Thompson of Notre Dame in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
In the round of 16, Falcon continued to roll as she beat Cal’s 12th-ranked Zsuzsanna Fodor in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
In the quarterfinals, Falcon slipped past Georgia’s seventh-ranked Natalie Frazier, 6-4, 6-4, on Frazier’s home courts in Athens, Ga., where last season’s NCAA Tennis Championships were held.
The NCAA also released the doubles portion of the tournament, and 22nd-ranked Falcon and Mykala Hedberg will face the tournament’s No. 4 seed, Clemson’s Ani Mijacika and Carol Salge, in the first round (the round of 32) on Thursday.
The University of Tulsa serves as the host site for both the men’s and women’s NCAA Division I Tennis Championships.
NCAA Singles Tournament
May 21, 2008 at Tulsa, Okla. (Michael D. Case Tennis Center)
First Round
(9-16) #15 Megan Falcon (LSU) vs. #57 Lindsey Nelson (USC), noon CDT
NCAA Doubles Tournament
May 22, 2008 at Tulsa, Okla. (Michael D. Case Tennis Center)
First Round
#22 Megan Falcon/Mykala Hedberg (LSU) vs. (4) #4 Ani Mijacika/Carol Salge (CLEM), TBD