MADISON, Wisc. — Senior Skylar Kuykendall defeated Kate Vialle 6-2, 6-4 but it wasn’t enough as No. 18 LSU fell to No. 5 North Carolina in the quarterfinal of the ITA Indoor Team Championships Saturday afternoon at the University of Wisconsin’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium.
The loss ended the Lady Tiger’s six-game win streak, which was tied for the fourth-best start in school history. North Carolina, the reigning Indoor Team Champions, improved to a perfect 6-0. LSU will return for its final match of the ITA Team Championships Sunday.
“I give UNC a lot of credit for coming out and playing some extremely high level tennis in those first sets,” co-head coach Julia Sell said. “We were a few points away from turning things around and putting ourselves in position to win. While it’s never fun to loss, this team will gain a lot of confidence from this match and be better tomorrow.”
The Tar Heels got out to quick start and took a 1-0 lead over LSU. Jessie Aney and Kate Vialle defeated Kuykendall and Abby Owens, 6-0, on court two. Ashley Dai and Chloe Ouellet-Prizer clinched the doubles point for UNC with a 6-3 victory over Skylar Holloway and Ella Taylor on three.
During singles play, the top two courts for North Carolina stretched the lead to 3-0. Whitney Kay defeated Jessica Golovin on court two 6-3, 6-1. On court one, No. 6Hayley Carter defeated Jessica Golovin 6-1, 6-1.
Down 3-0, Kuykendall scored LSU’s lone point of the day with her two-set win over Vialle. Foster pushed her match to a third set and led 2-0 over Aney. Owens was also on the brink of pushing her match to a third set on court five.
Neither match went any further as Ouellet-Pizer defeated Taylor 6-4, 6-4 on court six to clinch the semifinal berth for the Tar Heels.
For more information on the program, follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter @lsuwten and @LSUJuliaSell, on Instagram @LSUWTen and on www.Facebook.com/lsuwten.
Tennis Match Results
#5 North Carolina 4, #18 LSU 1
Feb 6, 2016 at Madison, Wis.
(Nielsen Tennis Stadium)
Singles competition
1. #6 Hayley Carter (NC) def. #23 Joana Vale Costa (LSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. #88 Whitney Kay (NC) def. #52 Jessica Golovin (LSU) 6-3, 6-1
3. #93 Skylar Kuykendall (LSU) def. Kate Vialle (NC) 6-2, 6-4
4. Ryann Foster (LSU) vs. #68 Jessie Aney (NC) 3-6, 6-2, 1-2, unfinished
5. Abby Owens (LSU) vs. Marika Akkerman (NC) 3-6, 6-5, unfinished
6. Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) def. Ella Taylor (LSU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Joana Vale Costa/Ryann Foster (LSU) vs. #2 Hayley Carter/Whitney Kay (NC) 5-4, unfinished
2. #16 Jessie Aney/Kate Vialle (NC) def. Skylar Kuykendall/Abby Owens (LSU) 6-0
3. Ashley Dai/Chloe Ouellet-Pizer (NC) def. Skylar Holloway/Ella Taylor (LSU) 6-3
Match Notes:
North Carolina 9-0; National ranking #5
LSU 6-1; National ranking #18
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,1,3,6)
2016 ITA National Women’s Team Indoor Championship – Quarterfinal