The LSU women’s tennis team opened the dual-match season with victories over Louisiana Tech and Centenary Saturday at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
The Lady Tigers not only won every match but also did not lose a single set all day. Head coach Tony Minnis thought the team played well for the first match of the season.
“We played solid up and down the line and took care of these teams,” Minnis said.
The Lady Tigers (2-0) dropped Louisiana Tech (0-1) in the first match of the day. Jessica Ferguson, Rocio Fantilli, Amanda Mang, Marina Chiarelli, Camilla Caliari and Daisy Espinal all earned wins in straight sets against their respective singles opponents to make the score 6-0 Tigers. The Lady Tigers then swept the Lady Techsters in the best 2-out-of-3 in doubles play and won the match by a 7-0 margin.
LSU also defeated Centenary (0-1) in the second match of the day 7-0. Centenary’s Anja Schmidt and LSU’s Fantilli played the closest match of the day. Fantilli defeated Schmidt 6-0 in the first set but had to rally from a 5-3 deficit before winning the second set 7-5 to close the match. Lauren Seaman, Caliari, Mang and Ferguson picked up wins in singles as well.     
Seaman and Fantilli also earned a come-from-behind victory in doubles play against Centenary’s Schmidt and Heather Kelley. Seaman and Fantilli trailed 4-1 early, but they won seven straight games to defeat Centenary 8-4.
The doubleheader marked Fantilli’s first action in the spring season. The junior from Argentina was not able to return to LSU until last week, according to head coach Tony Minnis. Fantilli’s efforts during the day pleased especially in the close matches against Centenary.
“When you haven’t played a match in a while, it’s tough to kind of get in the flow,” Minnis said. “It was good that she was in that position because it kind of gets her more matched up.”
The Lady Tigers will host a doubleheader Feb. 1 against Southern and Louisiana-Monroe at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Florida State will visit LSU Feb. 2.