The LSU women’s tennis team ended two streaks Wednesday afternoon against Tulane.
After dropping all six of its doubles matches in the young season, LSU (1-3) won two of three doubles matches and the doubles point Wednesday en route to a 4-3 victory against Tulane, the Tigers’ first of the year.
After freshman Ariel Morton and sophomore Ebie Wilson won the first doubles match, 8-2, freshman Yvette Vlaar teamed up with senior Kylie Adamek to win, 8-5, and secure the point for LSU.
“We worked on doubles a lot this week, and maybe it hurt us in singles because all we did was doubles,” said LSU coach Tony Minnis. “[Sophomore Keri Frankenberger] was hurt, and Kylie Adamek stepped in and did an outstanding job.”
LSU picked up its second point of the afternoon when Wilson knocked off Tulane’s Elizabeth Hamlin in straight sets, 6-2, 6-0.
Tulane (2-5) would even the score at two after Frankenberger and Morton each fell in two sets.
Vlaar bounced back from a set down to defeat Hila Elster, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, moving the Tigers one point away from an elusive first victory.
Junior Whitney Wolf dropped the first set of her match with Tulane’s Mariam Kurdadze on court one, but rebounded, winning the second set, 6-3. Kurdadze
outlasted Wolf in the final set, 6-2.
LSU sophomore Kaitlin Burns split sets with Tulane’s Lindsay Dvorak, forcing a third, decisive set — not only for the individual match, but for the team match.
With all eyes in the stadium focused on the match, Burns stole the third set tiebreak to propel LSU into victory for the first time this spring.
“That was about as good of a comeback as I’ve seen,” Minnis said of Burns’ effort. “She was down several match points and had every opportunity to quit, but she just kept hanging in there.”
The Lady Tigers look to continue their winning ways Sunday in Dallas against Southern Methodist.
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Contact Hunt Palmer at [email protected]
Women’s Tennis: Tigers earn first season victory
February 17, 2011