The LSU women’s tennis team escaped the frigid temperatures Thursday, but couldn’t handle Texas Tech at the New Orleans Hilton.
After postponing their Wednesday match a day and moving the site indoors in the Big Easy, the Red Raiders outclassed the Tigers 5-1 in singles matches to earn their third straight victory to begin the spring season.
The doubles matches were slated to follow singles, but Texas Tech earned enough points to clinch the match in singles play, negating the need for doubles matches.
“I can’t get down on the team,” said LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis. “The effort was there. It was just an unfortunate situation they were in. It’s tough to take away the home court advantage and play in an environment that we’re not comfortable in. Everybody got off to a slow start.”
Junior Whitney Wolf provided the lone bright spot for LSU by clawing back from a set down to defeat Texas Tech’s Elizabeth Ullathorne, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1.
Sophomores Keri Frankenberger and Kaitlin Burns joined Wolf in the early matches, but the pair didn’t produce the same results.
Frankenberger dropped a tough first set, 6-4, to Samantha Adams and was unable to recover, failing to win a game in the second set.
Burns fell, 6-2, 6-2, in the third singles match of the opening session against Caroline Starck.
Freshmen Yvette Vlaar and Ariel Morton and sophomore Ebie Wilson took the court for the Lady Tigers in session two and were all defeated.
The team will travel to College Station, Texas, this weekend to face the Texas A&M Aggies before heading to Houston for a Monday showdown with the Rice Owls.
“Even though we had a loss today, it was good to get it going,” Minnis said. “These upcoming matches are going to be tough.”
The LSU men’s team (0-2) opens its home slate Sunday as it welcomes Rice to W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium for an 11 a.m. match.
LSU was scheduled to play Louisiana-Lafayette and UNO at home on Wednesday, but freezing temperatures postponed the matches to Feb. 8.
Rice defeated LSU, 6-1, in Houston a year ago.
In the fall, LSU competed in the Rice Invitational and won four of the seven matches against the Owls. Senior Mark Bowtell captured the Flight A consolation bracket.
“I think the two teams are fairly even,” said LSU men’s coach Jeff Brown. “We’re excited to get things underway at home, and hopefully the weather will cooperate.”