TULSA, Okla. — LSU’s 15th-ranked Megan Falcon fell, 6-3, 6-4, to USC’s 57th-ranked Lindsey Nelson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Tulsa’s Michael D. Case Tennis Center on Wednesday.
Falcon got off to a strong start in the match by breaking Nelson’s serve to go up 1-0. Falcon then won two out of the next three games to go up 3-1, but Nelson responded by taking the set, 6-3.
Down 0-2 in the second set, Falcon fought back to win three of the next four games to even the set at 3-all. With the score at 2-3, Falcon reeled off four straight points to break Nelson and even the set.
Nelson broke right back, however, to take a 4-3 lead. Falcon would not surrender as she broke Nelson again to tie the match at 4-all, but Nelson pulled out the next two games to win the match, 6-4.
Falcon finished the season with a 27-7 record and a 12-7 mark against ranked opponents.
“That was a tough draw, and Lindsey is a heck of a player,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “She has been to the finals twice, and she played a good match and was able to beat Megan today.”
Nelson improved her record to 14-14 on the season. Nelson has made the NCAA Singles Championship match the past two seasons, and last season she beat Falcon in the semifinals to reach the title match.
Falcon’s stay in Tulsa is not over as she and Mykala Hedberg will compete in the round of 32 in the doubles portion of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. The 22nd-ranked duo will face off against the nation’s 4th-ranked and tournament’s fourth-seeded Ani Mijacika and Carol Salge of Clemson.
Falcon and Hedberg possess a 12-4 record on the season, including a 5-2 mark against ranked opponents.
Mijacika and Salge are 15-2 overall with a 9-1 record against ranked opponents. Mijacika and Salge have also won 11 straight matches dating back to March 7.
“This is an opportunity to beat the No. 4 ranked doubles team in the country,” Minnis said. “Megan and Mykala have been playing really well in doubles together, so hopefully they can put it together and pull out a win tomorrow.”
The time of the match will be determined after Wednesday’s singles action.
NCAA Singles Tournament
May 21, 2008 at Tulsa, Okla. (Michael D. Case Tennis Center)
First Round
#57 Lindsey Nelson (USC) def. (9-16) #15 Megan Falcon (LSU) 6-3, 6-4
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
() ? tournament seed; # – national ranking