NEW ORLEANS – Forced to move the match to the New Orleans Hilton Indoor Tennis Center due to inclement weather in Baton Rouge, the LSU women’s tennis team fell to Texas Tech 5-1 on Thursday.
“I give credit to Texas Tech,” said LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “They played a great match and played with great spirit and heart. We just have to keep working and try to get better.”
With only three courts available, the Lady Tigers played three singles matches at a time. Junior Whitney Wolf and sophomores Keri Frankenberger and Kaitlin Burns led off for the Lady Tigers.
After dropping her first set 2-6, Wolf came back to easily defeat Texas Tech’s Elizabeth Ullathorne 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Frankenberger was tied 4-4 in the first set with Lady Raider Samantha Adams, but the Texas Tech freshman took the final two games to clinch the set 6-4. The second set was a different story as Adams won comfortably 6-0 to take the match 6-4, 6-0.
Burns struggled from the start against Tech’s Caroline Starck, falling in two sets 2-6, 2-6.
Sophomore Ebie Wilson joined freshmen Yvette Vlaar and Ariel Morton on the courts for the Lady Tigers following the first three matches.
Wilson fell behind in the first set to Texas Tech’s Hayley Fournier 2-5 and fought hard to push the set to 5-5, but eventually lost 5-7. The second set was just as competitive and was tied 4-4 before Fournier took the final three points to win 7-5 and prevail 7-5, 7-5.
Vlaar and Lady Raider Kelsy Garland engaged in a tight first set before the Weert, Netherlands, native took control and won 6-4. However, Garland went on to take the next two sets by identical 6-2 scores and win the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
After leading 4-3 in the first set, Morton dropped the first set to Sandra Dynka 4-6 and never seemed to get back on track. She went on to lose the second set and consequently the match 4-6, 1-6.
Due to a pre-arranged agreement, no doubles matches were played unless needed after the completion of the singles matches.
LSU next travels to College Station, Texas, to face the Aggies on Saturday. Due to inclement weather in Texas, the match time of 1 p.m. may change, so stay tuned for updates as they become available.
Follow the LSU women’s tennis team on Twitter @LSUwten and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwten.
Texas Tech 5, LSU 1
Feb. 3, 2011 at New Orleans, La. (Hilton Indoor Tennis Center)
Singles
1. #33 Whitney Wolf (LSU) def. Elizabeth Ullathorne (TTU) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
2. Samantha Adams (TTU) def. Keri Frankenberger (LSU) 6-4, 6-0.
3. Caroline Starck (TTU) def. Kaitlin Burns (LSU) 6-2, 6-2.
4. Hayley Fournier (TTU) def. Ebie Wilson (LSU) 7-5, 7-5.
5. Kelsy Garland (TTU) def. Yvette Vlaar (LSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
6. Sandra Dynka (TTU) def. Ariel Morton (LSU) 6-4, 6-1.
Match Notes:
Match was played at New Orleans Hilton Indoor Tennis Center
No doubles matches were played.
Texas Tech: 3-0 (0-0 in Big 12)
LSU: 0-1 (0-0 in SEC)
Order of finish: Singles (2,3,1,6,4,5)