BATON ROUGE – The LSU women’s tennis team returns home after its weekend SEC road sweep to host a pair of non-conference matches on Wednesday against Iowa and Grambling at W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium.
The Iowa match is slated to begin at 12 p.m. while the Grambling contest will begin at 5 p.m. CDT.
The Hawkeyes (2-7) head to Baton Rouge having lost its last five matches including a home loss to No. 32 Nebraska on Sunday. Grambling takes a break from its SWAC schedule when it travels south for the non-conference matchup.
“Iowa presents us with a tough challenge,” said LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis. “They were a top 25 team last season, so it will be a good matchup. Grambling has been an improving team, so we need to come out focused and ready to play and continue to build upon our momentum.”
Sonja Molnar guides the Hawkeyes into Baton Rouge. Currently ranked No. 122 in the ITA singles rankings, the junior has compiled a 6-3 singles record this spring playing out of the No. 1 slot. She knocked off Nebraska’s Madeleine Geibert 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 in her last outing.
Molnar joins senior Jessica Young in doubles play. The No. 33-ranked duo enters Wednesday’s match with a 5-2 spring record including a 2-1 mark against nationally-ranked opponents.
The Hawkeye tandem of Alexis Dorr and Lynne Poggensee-Wei anchor the No. 2 doubles position for Iowa. The seniors have posted a 3-2 clip this spring and are fresh off defeating Jennifer Holmberg and Janine Weinreich of Nebraska 9-8 in Iowa City on Sunday.
Leading the way for LSU (5-6, 3-1 SEC) is sophomore Ebie Wilson. She has won eight of her last nine singles matches and holds a team-best spring singles record of 8-2.
Freshman Yvette Vlaar is coming off her best week as a Lady Tiger. The Weert, Netherlands, product went 2-0 in singles action last week including a 6-3, 6-2 victory over her sister Vivan on Friday against Ole Miss.
Joining Wilson on the doubles court is freshman Ariel Morton. The LSU tandem enters Wednesday’s action having won four consecutive matches and have begun the SEC season with a perfect 3-0 record.
Vlaar and sophomore Keri Frankenberger form the No. 2 doubles team for LSU. Like Wilson and Morton, they have won their last four matches including their last three to open conference play.
The Lady Tigers hold all-time records of 3-0 against both Iowa and Grambling. The Hawkeyes last met LSU in 2000 when the Lady Tigers came away with a 5-3 victory. Grambling fell to LSU 7-0 last season in Baton Rouge.
LSU follows up play on Friday when they host No. 22 Tulsa at 1 p.m. CDT.
Admission is free to both matches and live stats will be provided for both matches as well 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.