The LSU women’s tennis team was shut out in its second Southeastern Conference game of the year Sunday.
No. 23 Georgia (5-5, 2-0) swept the Lady Tigers (7-3, 0-2) seven games to none at Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.
“We played hard but were not able to maintain focus at key times,” said coach Tony Minnis. “Loss of concentration really hurt us today.”
The Lady Tigers began the event loosing all of their doubles matches 8-1, 8-6, 8-1.
The Bulldogs’ ninth-ranked doubles team of senior Caroline Basu and junior Shadisha Robinson quickly finished off freshman Mykala Hedberg and sophomore Tiffany Tucker in the first doubles paring of the day.
LSU sophomore Anastasia Dubova and senior Marina Chiarelli rallied back to get to 7-6 against the 14th-ranked team of senior Evegenia Subbotinamatch and junior Darya Ivanov but could not win the final points and lost, 8-6.
“We put ourselves in position to win, but could not capitalize,” Minnis said.
Georgia kept the momentum as the teams entered singles play and earned two quick points to go up 3-0 in the match.
Basu defeated Tucker 6-1, 6-1, and Hedberg lost in two sets to Georgia’s No. 1 singles player junior Natalie Frazier.
LSU senior Camila Caliari could not hang on in her battle against Ivanov and dropped the game clinching point, in three sets 6-0, 3-6, 6-0.
“This is a positive loss for the team,” Minnis said. “When you come off of big wins like we have it is easy to loose focus. A loss like this wakes you up and makes you realize what you are doing wrong.”
The Lady Tigers were shut out Friday as well in their first SEC match against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn.
Minnis said he believed the team performed much better in this match against Georgia.
“Georgia is a terrific team,” Minnis said. “We played very well against them. We just did not seem to take advantage of the opportunities that were presented.”
LSU will host Kentucky on Friday at W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium.
 
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