AUBURN, Ala. — The LSU women’s tennis team will participate in the ITA Southern Regional hosted by the University of Auburn at the Yarbrough Tennis Center beginning Friday morning.
Senior captain Ryann Foster, juniors Kennan Johnson and Jessica Golovin, and freshmen Eden Richardson and Elyse Lavender will represent the Tigers in Auburn this weekend against competition that will feature top players from the ITA Southern region, including Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and more.
“It’s going to be a lot of matches in a short amount of time at a really high level,” co-head coach Julia Sell said. “We have a really strong region, so we get to see where we’re at physically and mentally right at the midway point of the fall. It gives us a really good idea of where we are and what we need to tidy up on and improve upon for the last few weeks of the fall.”
LSU’s promising young crop of freshmen share the team lead with four fall singles wins apiece, including three wins over ranked opponents between the two of them.
Lavender will enter the regional coming off of a dominant stretch of play at Baylor’s H-E-B Invitational where she and Foster took home the doubles title after going unbeaten at the tourney.
Golovin will take the court this weekend looking to build off of a career-best win over No. 4 Sara Daavettila of North Carolina at the ITA Hall of Fame Grass Courts Invitational in September.
At last year’s regional tourney, Foster advanced to the singles quarterfinals, taking down No. 84 Madison Harrison along the way, while also competing in the doubles portion of competition.
Doubles play will begin with the round of 32 at 8 a.m. on Friday, followed by the first and second rounds of singles beginning at 9 a.m.
For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter @lsuwten and @LSUJuliaSell, on Instagram @LSUWTen and on www.Facebook.com/lsuwten.
ITA Southern Regional
Friday, October 20
Singles
Round of 64
Ryann Foster (LSU) vs. Alba Cortina-Pou (UA) at 9 a.m. CT
Jessica Golovin (LSU) vs. Marlene Herrmann (UAB) at 9 a.m. CT
Kennan Johnson (LSU) vs. Sade Atkinson (TULANE) at 9 a.m. CT
Eden Richardson (LSU) vs. Kim Gentrand (UA) at 9 a.m. CT
Elyse Lavender (LSU) vs. Kylie Moulin (UA) at 9 a.m. CT
Doubles
Round of 32
Ryann Foster/Elyse Lavender (LSU) vs. Sanae Ohta/Nancy Karaky (TROY) at 8 a.m. CT
Kennan Johnson/Eden Richardson (LSU) vs. Angela Lorenzo/Nadja Manjon (LATECH) at 8 a.m. CT