The No. 20 LSU women’s tennis team advanced to the Southeastern Conference Championship quarterfinals on Thursday after defeating ninth-seeded Kentucky, 4-3, at the LSU Tennis Complex.
Just five weeks after LSU’s 4-3 victory against the Wildcats in Lexington, Kentucky, the teams found themselves in the same position on Thursday on the Lady Tigers’ courts.
Kentucky won the doubles point. LSU fought back in singles to tie it, 3-3. In the end, it came down to one deciding third set, exactly as it did in their regular season matchup.
This time, it was freshman Jessica Golovin’s turn to clinch it.
After a 6-1 first-set loss filled with frustration and errors, Golovin turned all momentum around, and defeated Wildcats’ freshman Justina Mikulskytè, 6-4 in the second and third set, pushing LSU to the next round — the tournament’s quarterfinals.
“Intensity is a big part of my game,” Golovin said. “I tried to hit with more spin, move her around more and get to her back end, because that was her
weaker side. First, the percentage of my serve had to go up, too. When everything came together, it helped me to get through.”
The Lady Tigers didn’t waste time and start out strong in doubles play as they took the first deuce point on all three courts.
While senior Ella Taylor and junior Joana Vale Costa fell behind 3-1 on court 2, LSU’s senior Skylar Kuykendall and sophomore Skylar Holloway’s 3-1 lead on court 3 kept getting slimmer, too.
Though the Wildcats battled a two-point deficit on court 1, momentum was all in their hands as the Lady Tigers fell on court 2 and 3, 6-2 and 6-3, respectively.
“I don’t think Kentucky has lost a doubles point all year long,” said LSU co-head coach Julia Sell. “We started with some of the best energy that we’ve had all year. In singles, we’re used to losing the doubles point. It doesn’t faze us and we got right back to work.”
LSU’s strong performance in singles play held the match wide open.
Taylor started out taking court 6 after sweeping the first set and finally winning the deciding second, 6-2.
With two-set victories from Kuykendall and junior Abigail Owens on courts 4 and 5, respectively, the Lady Tigers tied the match and set the stage for Golovin, who headed into the only third set of the match.
Now, LSU prepares to take on No. 1 Florida at 2 p.m on Friday.
“They went undefeated in our conference for a reason,” Sell said. “There are good at every spot and make you hit balls. They are the type of team where you have to beat them. They won’t give it to you. We had a really great battle with them, but are going to have to take it up a notch to beat them.”

Gallery • 1 Photos

Nicholas Martino

Freshman, Jessica Golovin, returns the ball against Ole Miss on Friday, March 11, 2016 at the LSU Tennis Complex.