BATON ROUGE – LSU junior Kaitlin Burns advanced to the final of the Mauer Singles Consolation Flight at the 2011 Gopher Invitational in Minneapolis, Minn. with two wins Saturday.
Burns won 12 matches in 2010. With today’s victories she has now won five or her last seven singles matches dating back to the end of last season.
“I thought Kaitlin improved her play a lot today in two quality wins,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “It’s very early in the season but it’s good for us to get these matches in and we’re looking to improve all the time.”
Seniors Whitney Wolf and Olivia Howlett both fell in the third round of the Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational in Midland, Texas, on Saturday.
“We know we need to continue working to prepare for the rest of the season,” assistant coach Lisa Jackson said. “The positive of all this match play is it helps show us what we need to focus on in practice.”
Play resumes Sunday in Minnesota and Texas at 10:30 a.m. CDT.
Burns will go for the Mauer Consolation Championship against Wisconsin’s Hannah Berner while the rest of the Lady Tigers participate in more consolation and practice matches.
2011 Gopher Invitational
Mauer Singles Flight
Second Round
Sonja Molnar (Iowa) def. Rebecca Bodine (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
Mauer Consolation Flight
Second Round
Kaitlin Burns (LSU) def. Alaina Trgovich (Wisconsin) 6-2, 7-5
Semifinals
Kaitlin Burns (LSU) def. Simona Cacciuttolo (Iowa State) 5-7, 7-5, 1-0 (10-4)
Mauer Winners Consolation Flight
Doron Muravnik (Minnesota) def. Rebecca Bodine (LSU) 7-6 (5), 6-0
Love Singles Consolation Flight
Second Round
Hayley Everett (LSU) def. Elizabeth Przystawski (Bradley) 6-3, 6-3
Semifinals
Ashleigh Chiaf (Missouri) def. Hayley Everett (LSU) 6-3, 6-1
Augustus Singles Flight
Megan Born (Gustavus) def. Paige Bahnsen (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
Koivu Doubles Consolation Flight
Burns/Bodine (LSU) def. Gaard/Krebsbach (GAC) 8-4
Gray Doubles Consolation Flight
Semifinals
Everett/Bahnsen (LSU) def. Loprinzi/Nixon (ISU) 8-2
2011 Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational
Third Round
Lorraine Guillermo (Pepperdine) def. Whitney Wolf (LSU) 7-5, 6-2
Khunpak Issara (Pepperdine) def. Olivia Howlett (LSU) 6-3, 6-2