BATON ROUGE, La. — With more than 200 fans in attendance, No. 21 LSU defeated Nicholls, 6-1, and Southern, 7-0, in the opening matches of the new LSU Tennis Complex and the 2016 season Saturday.
“Overall, I thought they did really well,” co-head coach Julia Sell said. “In the morning match I thought we had some nerves but we worked through them. We were a little passive in our play earlier, but we came out and adjusted really nicely in the afternoon.”
In the morning match, Joana Vale Costa and Ryann Foster teamed up for the first time in dual match action to defeat Nicholls’ Isla Brock and Stephanie Barnett, 6-2. Abby Owens and Skylar Kuykendall defeated Julia Melendez and Milou Pietersz, 6-0, on court two to clinch the doubles point.
With a 1-0 lead after doubles play, Vale Costa double bageled Pietersz in a quick 6-0, 6-0 match. Foster put LSU up 3-0 with her first victory in a dual match as a Lady Tiger. Foster defeated Clemence Krug 6-4, 6-1 on court four.
No. 52 Jessica Golovin clinched the victory over Nicholls on court three. The freshman defeated Melendez 6-1, 6-4.
After the match was clinched, Ella Taylor finished off Andrea Mastrippolito 6-3, 6-0 and Owens defeated Brock 7-5, 6-3.
After LSU defeated Nicholls, the Lady Tigers returned to the courts in the afternoon against Southern and improve to 2-0.
Vale Costa and Foster improved to 2-0 on the season with a 6-0 victory over Laura Syori and Kendall Bunch. Owens and Kuykendall once again clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Nicki Neal and Amanda Materre.
Foster put LSU up 2-0 as she defeated Bunch 6-0, 6-0. Kuykendall bounced back after the morning match and defeated Syori 6-0, 6-1.
Taylor followed almost immediately with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win over Mia Kent to clinch the match.
With victory secured, Skylar Holloway defeated Neal 6-3, 6-0 for her first singles win of the season. Owens followed that up with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Materre.
In her first appearance on court one as a Lady Tiger, Golovin secured the sweep with a 6-0, 6-4 win over Moore.
The Lady Tigers return to action Saturday for the ITA Kickoff Weekend. The team will take on DePaul at 3 p.m. CT at Georgia Tech’s Byers Tennis Complex.
Follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter @lsuwten and @LSUJuliaSell, on Instagram @LSUWTen and on www.Facebook.com/lsuwten.
Tennis Match Results
1/16/2016 at Baton Rouge, La.
(LSU Tennis Complex)
#21 LSU 6, Nicholls 1
Singles competition
1. #23 Joana Vale Costa (LSU) def. Milou Pietersz (NICH) 6-0, 6-0
2. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Skylar Kuykendall (LSU) 7-6 (10-8), 6-2
3. #52 Jessica Golovin (LSU) def. Julia Melendez (NICH) 6-1, 6-4
4. Ryann Foster (LSU) def. Clemence Krug (NICH) 6-4, 6-1
5. Abby Owens (LSU) def. Isla Brock (NICH) 7-5, 6-3
6. Ella Taylor (LSU) def. Andrea Mastrippolito (NICH) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Joana Vale Costa/Ryann Foster (LSU) def. Isla Brock/Stephanie Barnett (NICH) 6-2
2. Abby Owens/Skylar Kuykendall (LSU) def. Julia Melendez/Milou Pietersz (NICH) 6-0
3. Skylar Holloway/Ella Taylor (LSU) vs. Laia Charles/Clemence Krug (NICH) 4-2, unfinished
Match Notes:
Nicholls 0-1
LSU 1-0; National ranking #21
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,4,3,6,5,2)
First ever match at the LSU Tennis Complex
A-125
Tennis Match Results
1/16/2016 at Baton Rouge, La.
(LSU Tennis Complex)
#21 LSU 7, Southern Jaguars 0
Singles competition
1. Jessica Golovin (LSU) def. Darnesha Moore (SUBR) 6-0, 6-4
2. Skylar Kuykendall (LSU) def. Laura Syori (SUBR) 6-0, 6-1
3. Abby Owens (LSU) def. Amanda Materre (SUBR) 6-4, 6-1
4. Ryann Foster (LSU) def. Kendall Bunch (SUBR) 6-0, 6-0
5. Ella Taylor (LSU) def. Mia Kent (SUBR) 6-1, 6-1
6. Skylar Holloway (LSU) def. Nicki Neal (SUBR) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Joana Vale Costa/Ryann Foster (LSU) def. Laura Syori/Kendall Bunch (SUBR) 6-0
2. Abby Owens/Skylar Kuykendall (LSU) def. Nicki Neal/Amanda Materre (SUBR) 6-2
3. Jessica Golovin/Ella Taylor (LSU) def. D’Jeri Raymond/Mia Kent (SUBR) 5-2
Match Notes:
Southern U. Jaguars 0-0
LSU 1-0; National ranking #21
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (4,2,5,6,3,1)
A-105