AUBURN, Ala.– The No. 18 LSU women’s tennis team fell to Auburn, 5-2, Friday in Auburn, Ala.
“Hats off to Auburn. They came out with a lot of fire and intensity and played a great match. I was impressed with their tenacity, and we have to regroup and get ready for a very tough Alabama team,” said head coach Tony Minnis.
The Lady Tigers (7-3, 0-1 SEC) were first on the board as they took the doubles point. Hannah Robinson and Whitney Wolf finished first on court two as they came up short against Auburn’s Fani Chifchieva and Myrthe Molenveld. The 17th-ranked duo of Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg took down Alex Haney and Whitney Chappell 8-3 on court one. The tandem increased their win streak to nine as their record is 21-3 on the season. Pair Nicole Kantor and Staten Spencer clinched the doubles point on court three when they raced past Jil Hastenrath and Dunja Djuranovic 8-2.
In singles, freshman Nicole Smith finished first when she fell to Daniela Vukadinovic 6-2, 6-2 on court six. Hedberg could not get it going as 35th-ranked Haney defeated her 6-2, 6-2 on court two.
On court one, No. 12 Falcon finished third as she lost a hard-fought battle to 11th-ranked Chifchieva 6-4, 6-3. Auburn’s Chappell clinched the overall match when she beat Kantor 6-0, 6-1 on court three.
Auburn (6-4, 1-0 SEC) made their final mark on court five as Hastenrath rallied to beat Spencer 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
Robinson picked up LSU’s final point as she cruised past Molenveld 7-5, 6-3 on court four.
The Lady Tigers will have their second SEC matchup as they face Alabama Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Tennis Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
#50 Auburn 5, #18 LSU 2
March 6, 2009 at Auburn, Ala. (Yarbrough Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #11 Fani Chifchieva (AU) def. #12 Megan Falcon (LSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. #35 Alex Haney (AU) def. Mykala Hedberg (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Whitney Chappell (AU) def. Nicole Kantor (LSU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Hannah Robinson (LSU) def. Myrthe Molenveld (AU) 7-5, 6-3
5. Jil Hastenrath (AU) def. Staten Spencer (LSU) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8)
6. Daniela Vukadinovic (AU) def. Nicole Smith (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
Doubles
1. Megan Falcon/Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Alex Haney/Whitney Chappell (AU) 8-6
2. Fani Chifchieva/Myrthe Molenveld (AU) def. Hannah Robinson/Whitney Wolf (LSU) 8-3
3. Nicole Kantor/Staten Spencer (LSU) def. Jil Hastenrath/Dunja Djuranovic (AU) 8-2
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,2,1,3,5,4)
Match Notes:
LSU 7-3 (0-1 SEC); National Ranking 18
Auburn 6-4 (1-0 SEC); National Ranking 50