The LSU women’s tennis team will look to build upon its two-game winning streak as they take on Louisiana Tech and Southern University at 2 p.m. today.
The Lady Tigers swept through the weekend with wins against Centenary and Louisiana-Lafayette. Senior Amanda Mang won both of her singles matches and swept a pair of doubles matches. Mang was paired with Rocio Fantilli. The No. 34 ranked doubles team of Fantilli and sophomore Lauren Seaman were not paired for the weekend.
Senior Jessica Ferguson rebounded from an early loss against Centenary to defeat Lafayette’s Susan Linden 6-0, 6-4.
Coach Tony Minnis said he was pleased with how the Lady Tigers played, especially against Centenary’s No. 1 player Anja Schmidt.
“She’s very good,” said Minnis. “She’s a very solid player.
Tech is coming off a 6-1 win against Grambling State after falling to Rice University 7-0. With no seniors on the squad, junior Anabella Duque leads Louisiana Tech into the match.
Tech coach Greg Hearn, a former LSU assistant coach, will try to knock off his former team.
Hearn, who took over the Tech program in November of 2002, is a graduate of Louisiana-Lafayette.
“One of the main reasons I decided to come to Louisiana Tech is that I feel that Tech has its priorities in line as far as having student-athletes rather than athlete-students,” Hearn said. “I feel that a school like Louisiana Tech allows you the freedom to be a teacher and not just worry about wins, although we do hope to be successful on the court.”
Hearn spent a majority of his time at LSU building Life Sports Inc., a community program that works with local youngsters on tennis and life skills. Life Sports Inc. has grown into the largest junior program in Lafayette.
“We are really trying to do a bunch of programs to get the communitiy involved with us,” Hearn said. “We want to make this a mutual thing where the community will want to take part in what we are doing.”
Minnis, who served with Hearn from 2000 to 2002, said he is impressed with what Hearn has done at Louisiana Tech.
“He’s a heck of a coach,” Minnis said. “I know they’re improving and getting better each year.
“I’ve learned that every time you step on the court you respect who you play and you play hard,” Minnis said. “That’s what I try to instill in these players.”