The LSU women’s tennis team opened its Southeastern Conference season on the road over the weekend with split results.
The No. 43 Lady Tigers’ match against No. 74 Kentucky was delayed until Saturday morning because of inclement weather.
The delay did not slow LSU (6-3, 1-1), who won its fifth consecutive match, 4-3, over the Wildcats.
“I was really impressed by the performance this team put in,” said LSU coach Tony Minnis. “To go on the road and beat a team like we faced really speaks to our group.”
The Tigers started the match by clinching the doubles point, highlighted by senior Whitney Wolf and junior Keri Frankenberger’s 9-8 upset of No. 55 duo Jessica Stiles and Khristina Blajkevitch.
Senior Olivia Howlett started with a win in singles, extending their lead to 2-0.
The Wildcats caught up to LSU, evening the score at 3-3 and forcing the match to come down to sophomores Yvette Vlaar and CeCe Witten on court six. Vlaar clinched the match for the Lady Tigers, 6-2, 6-1, giving the squad its first SEC victory of the season.
LSU quickly hit the road again to play No. 35 Vanderbilt on Sunday in Nashville.
The Tigers were held in check against the Commodores, who won 7-0.
Vanderbilt started the match quickly, earning the doubles point in dominating fashion.
LSU struggled on all courts in singles as well, as Frankenberger, who lost, 6-4, 4-6, 10-7, to Ashleigh Antal, was the only Lady Tiger to force a third set.
The loss snaps LSU’s five-match winning streak and gives the Lady Tigers their first loss in SEC play.
The Lady Tigers play host to No. 25 Alabama on Friday at 3 p.m.
 
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