Whether it was the threat of rain in the Baton Rouge area or the lack of experience in a struggling squad, the LSU women’s tennis team was swept Sunday by No. 2 Georgia 4-0.
The Lady Tigers have a young squad, as five of the eight players on the roster are underclassmen, and in the Southeastern Conference, the Lady Tigers are playing some of the best players in the nation every week, which was brought to the forefront against the Bulldogs Sunday.
The SEC features seven women ranked in the top 25 nationally, along with five doubles pairings in the top 25.
With the Bulldogs up 1-0, freshman Abigail Owens lost in straight sets to give the Bulldogs their second point. Later, Georgia would go on to clinch the match when junior Noel Scott lost on court one to No. 19 Silvia Garcia 6-4, 6-3.
The Lady Tigers were able to jump ahead early on Georgia in a few matches, but LSU’s youth was exposed as the matches drew on.
“We had a really fresh start,” LSU coach Julia Sell said. “We went up on a few courts, and then we got a little nervous and backed off the ball a little bit. That’s when you see our youth and the lack of confidence come through.”
Sell said her team is just fatigued, not necessarily from a physical standpoint, but from a mental one.
“The SEC is the toughest conference there is,” Sell said. “Every match you play whether you’re playing one or six is just so hard. It’s more mental than it is physical. I don’t think our freshmen were prepared for that level, and this is that time of year where you see it.”
Due to the threat of inclement weather, the match was shortened to just singles in an effort to beat the rain forecasted for later in the afternoon.
The Lady Tigers were put in a hole right off the bat, being forced to forfeit a match and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead due to freshman Joana Vale Costa’s lingering knee pain.
The regular season comes to a close on Saturday when the Lady Tigers host a doubleheader, featuring Arkansas and Jackson State.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Taylor Balkom

LSU junior Noel Scott returns a serve Sunday, April 6, 2014, during the Tigers' loss to Georgia in W.T. "Dub" Robinson Stadium.