AUBURN, Ala. – No. 11 LSU could not rally over No. 8 Auburn, falling 4-0, on Sunday at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
The Tigers conclude the regular season with a 20-6 overall record and a 10-5 mark in the SEC. Meanwhile, Auburn moves to 22-5 and 11-4 in league play.
“We credit Auburn for their performance today, and Jordan Szabo and his staff have done a great job all year,” said Head Coach Taylor Fogleman. “I thought we didn’t compete in the manner we needed to give ourselves a chance to win. It’s unfortunate and hopefully we learn from it, we have a great part of the season ahead of us. Now, we need to get some rest and recovery, but we also need to look in the mirror and see what we can bring to the SEC Tournament. If we can do what I know we are capable of and have done all season, I certainly like our chances against anybody.”
No. 71 Kenna Erickson and Anita Sahdiieva began the match on the second court over No. 50 Angella Okutoyi and Merna Refaat. After dropping the first game, the LSU pair gained a 2-1 advantage but later dropped the set 6-2.
On Court No. 3, Tilwith Di Girolami and Gaby Rivera took on Ava Esposito and Maria Garcia. Di Girolami and Rivera gained a 2-1 advantage after dropping the first game but were unable to sustain the lead, falling 6-2, awarding Auburn the doubles point.
Indi Patel opened singles play on the No. 6 spot against Alice Battesti. The freshman dropped the first set 6-0 and trailed 5-0 in the second. Patel managed to get on the board, but Battesti closed it out for a 6-1 win to give Auburn a 2-0 lead.
Di Girolami competed in her second match of the day over No. 92 Ava Hrastar on the second court. After falling behind 5-0 in the first set, the freshman managed to get on the board but dropped the set 6-1. In the second, Hrastar took a 4-1 lead. Di Girolami cut the deficit to 4-2, then 5-3, but lost the set 6-3, increasing Auburn’s lead to 3-0.
Needing a rally to keep the match alive, Kinaa Graham battled with No. 59 Refaat. The sophomore fell behind 4-0 in the opening set. Graham would get on the board but ultimately drop the set 6-1. Graham trailed 4-1 in the second set before taking the next two games. However, Refaat closed out the set with a 6-3 win to clinch the match for Auburn.
LSU will remain in Auburn for the SEC Tournament, beginning on Wednesday, April 16. Tournament brackets are yet to be announced.
For more information on the LSU Women’s Tennis program, follow the Tigers on X @lsuwten, Instagram @LSUWTen, and Facebook.com/lsuwten.
LSU vs. Auburn
April 13, 2025
Yarbrough Tennis Center
No. 11 LSU 0, No. 8 Auburn 4
Singles
1. #21 Cadence Brace (LSU) vs. #5 DJ Bennett (AUB) 5-7, 0-0, DNF
2. Tilwith Di Girolami (LSU) fell to #47 Angella Okutoyi (AUB) 1-6, 3-6
3. Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) vs. #92 Ava Hrastar (AUB) 7-5, 1-0, DNF
4. Kinaa Graham (LSU) fell to #59 Merna Refaat (AUB) 1-6, 3-6
5. Kenna Erickson (LSU) vs. Ava Esposito (AUB) 1-6, 4-3, DNF
6. Indi Patel (LSU) fell to Alice Battesti (AUB) 0-6, 1-6
Doubles
1. Cadence Brace/Kinaa Graham (LSU) vs. #20 DJ Bennett/Ava Hrastar (AUB) 2-5, DNF
2. #71 Kenna Erickson/Anita Sahdiieva (LSU) fell to #50 Angella Okutoyi/Merna Refaat (AUB) 2-6
3. Tilwith Di Girolami/Gaby Rivera (LSU) fell to Ava Esposito/Maria Garcia (AUB) 2-6
Match Notes:
LSU 20-6 (10-5 SEC); National ranking #11
Auburn 22-5 (11-4 SEC); National ranking #8
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (6,2,4)