The Lady Tigers got back in the win column after defeating No. 19 South Carolina 4-2 at the LSU Tennis Complex on Sunday.
After losing to No. 1 ranked Florida on Friday, the Lady Tigers ( 8-3, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) defeated South Carolina on the backs of freshman Jade Lewis, senior Joana Valle Costa and junior Ryann Foster.
“This is a year that’s been extremely adverse with injuries and a lot of bad luck that’s really difficult to prepare for,” said co-head coach Julia Sell in a press release. “But they’ve never stopped believing in themselves as a team and today was the most intense and energized I’ve seen them all year. I think all the struggles we’ve been through is what brought it out.”
Lewis, No. 52 in the country, returned to the singles lineup after sitting out her match against Florida. Lewis defeated No. 100 Mia Horvit in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6.
The win marks the fourth time this season Lewis has beaten a ranked opponent.
Foster was dominant all day, winning both her doubles match and singles match in decisive fashion.
The No. 43 ranked doubles pairing of Foster and Valle Costa clinched the Lady Tigers first point of the day after they defeated the No. 27 pairing of Hadley Berg and Paige Cline. Foster, No. 95, again defeated Cline, No. 110, in straight sets, 6-2, giving the team their second point.
After pairing with Foster in doubles play, No. 87 Valle Costa sealed the victory for the Lady Tigers, defeating Caroline Dailey 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. The senior’s victory snapped a two game losing streak, and bumped the team’s record up to 8-3.
The Lady Tigers will head north next weekend as they travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for a match against the Arkansas on Friday, March 10, and then to Columbia, Missouri, where they will compete against Missouri on Sunday, March 12.
For the men’s squad, the Tigers gave No. 13 Florida all it could handle, but fell to the Gators, 4-3.
Senior Jordan Daigle defeated No. 6 Alfredo Perez in straight sets on court one. Daigle’s victory was one of three singles matches LSU would win, but a poor performance in doubles play and losses on courts five and six were too much to overcome.
Senior Justin Butsch, No. 41, racked up another victory against a ranked opponent defeating No. 92 Elliot Orkin in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.
Junior Gabor Csonka won his second singles match of the season defeating Chase Perez-Blanco in straight sets 7-6, 6-3.
The Tigers will return to Baton Rouge, and take the courts at the LSU Tennis Complex against Kentucky on Friday, March 10 at 5 p.m.
