STARKVILLE, Miss. – The LSU women’s tennis team defeated Mississippi State 6-1 on Sunday afternoon at the A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre in Starkville, Miss.
With the win, the Lady Tigers extended their SEC win streak to three and bettered their record to 5-6 overall, 3-1 in the SEC. Mississippi State fell to 2-8, 0-4 in conference play.
“I am really proud of our team,” said LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “It is tough to win one road match in the SEC, and we were able to win two this weekend. I am very impressed with how much we have improved recently.”
LSU’s Keri Frankenberger and Yvette Vlaar quickly built a 5-0 lead against Olesya Tsigvintseva and Jordan Zachary of Mississippi State on Court 2 and cruised to an 8-3 victory to get things started for the Lady Tigers in doubles play.
Whitney Wolf and Kaitlin Burns clinched the doubles point for LSU moments later, knocking off Mississippi State’s Alexandra Perper and Danielle Terpko by an identical 8-3 score.
The Lady Tigers collected the doubles sweep with Ebie Wilson and Ariel Morton‘s 8-4 win over the Lady Bulldog duo of Vivian Pietraroia and Roseline Dion.
Wilson cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over the Bulldog freshman Pietraroia to open up singles action. The win was her eighth in her last nine matches and bettered her spring singles record to a team-leading 8-2.
The LSU sophomore Burns received a battle in the first set from Mississippi State’s Ryzhova before taking control and winning the set 6-3. The second set was never close as Burns went on to take the match 6-3, 6-1.
Vlaar followed suit with a 6-0, 6-2 defeat of Terpko to clinch the overall match for the Lady Tigers. It was the third-straight singles victory for the freshman from Weert, Netherlands.
With the overall match already decided, Morton kept things rolling for LSU side as she picked up a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Dion for her third-consecutive win as well.
LSU’s Frankenberger took her first set 6-2 over Tsigvintseva. The Lady Bulldog responded, however, winning the second set 6-2 to force a third-set 10-point tiebreaker. In a tight tiebreaker, Frankenberger prevailed 10-8 to clinch the match 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8).
After No. 52 Wolf took the first set 6-0, Mississippi State’s Perper evened the match by collecting the second set 6-3. In the deciding set, the LSU junior Wolf was unable to recapture her initial momentum, falling 0-6, 6-3, 7-5.
LSU returns home for a Wednesday doubleheader against Iowa at 12 p.m. and Grambling at 5 p.m. CDT.
Admission is free to both of Wednesday’s matches as well as all other 2011 LSU women’s tennis home matches. Live stats will be provided for both matches and can be followed at www.LSUsports.net/livestats.
Follow the LSU women’s tennis team on Twitter @LSUwten and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwten.
LSU 6, Mississippi State 1
March 13, 2011 at Starkville, Miss.
A.J. Pitts Tennis Centre
Singles
1. Alexandra Perper (MSU) def. #52 Whitney Wolf (LSU) 0-6, 6-3, 7-5
2. Kaitlin Burns (LSU) def. Mariia Ryzhova (MSU) 6-3, 6-1
3. Ebie Wilson (LSU) def. Danielle Terpko (MSU) 6-0, 6-2
4. Keri Frankenberger (LSU) def. Olesya Tsigvintseva (MSU) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0
5. Yvette Vlaar (LSU) def. Vivian Pietraroia (MSU) 6-0, 6-3
6. Ariel Morton (LSU) def. Roseline Dion (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
1. Whitney Wolf/Kaitlin Burns (LSU) def. Alexandra Perper/Danielle Terpko (MSU) 8-3
2. Keri Frankenberger/Yvette Vlaar (LSU) Olesya Tsigvintseva/Jordan Zachary (MSU) 8-3
3. Ebie Wilson/Ariel Morton (LSU) def. Vivian Pietraroia/Roseline Dion (MSU) 8-4
Order of Finish
Singles: 3,2,5,6,4,1
Doubles: 2,1,3
Team Records
LSU: 5-6 (3-1 in SEC)
Mississippi State: 2-8 (0-4 in SEC)
Match Notes
Keri Frankenberger defeated Olesya Tsigvintseva 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-8) in a third set 10-point tiebreaker.