Women's Tennis Falls to LSU at SEC Tournament

Thursday, April 17

Auburn, Ala.

10:00 a.m

Alabama

LSU

Women's Tennis Falls to LSU at SEC Tournament

4/17/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

April 17, 2008

Final Stats

AUBURN, Ala. - The University of Alabama women's tennis team, the 11th seed in the tournament, dropped a hard-fought match to 27th-ranked and sixth-seeded LSU, 4-1, in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tennis Championships today at the Yarbrough Tennis Complex in Auburn, Ala.

"We felt coming in that we would have chances to win this match, and I thought we did but we just didn't take advantage of those chances," said Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz. "This was a tight match all the way through. We were ready today. I have to commend LSU for the way they responded to the pressure. We felt that we really needed the doubles point to put pressure on them, and they were able to hold us off. We were resilient today, and I thought we came out in singles and picked up our intensity again. We fought hard and competed really well today."

The Crimson Tide fell behind as LSU took the doubles point by winning two of three matches. The Tigers earned wins at Nos. 1 and 3 to pick up the first point of the match. LSU took the early lead for the race to the doubles point with a win from the No. 1 slot as the Tigers' Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg took an 8-4 victory over Alabama's Andrea Brenes and Paulina Bigos. Alabama won the No. 2 match as Tiffany Welcher and Meritt Emery defeated LSU's Tiffany Tucker and Hannah Robinson by a score of 8-5. LSU clinched the point by winning the No. 3 match with an 8-4 decision by the duo of Staten Spencer and Nicole Kantor over UA's Shelley Godwin and Bianca Svensson.

"This was an awfully tough match for us today," said LSU head coach Tony Minnis. "Alabama is much improved from when we played them in March. She (Falcon) is unbelievable and always finds a way to win when she's on the court."

Alabama's Shelley Godwin tied the match at 1-1 with a 6-3, 6-1, victory over LSU's Tiffany Tucker at No. 5 singles.

"Shelley did a nice job out there," Mainz said. "Whenever a player can get out of the gates fast, the momentum carries you. Shelley won two very convincing sets."

LSU edged ahead, 2-1, with a victory at No. 2 singles by Mykala Hedberg over UA's Paulina Bigos, 6-1, 7-5. LSU sealed the match with victories at No. 4 and No. 1 singles. At No. 4, LSU's Nicole Kantor knocked off Merritt Emory of Alabama in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. The Tigers clinched the match with a victory at No. 1 singles, a 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, decision by LSU's Megan Falcon over Alabama's Tiffany Welcher.

When the match was clinched, LSU's Hannah Robinson led Alabama's Alice Tunaru, 7-6, 5-3, at No. 3 singles, and the No. 6 match between LSU's Staten Spencer and Alabama's Andre Brenes was tied at a set apiece. Spencer took the first set, 6-2, before Brenes took the second set, 7-5. The duo was in the first game of the third set when LSU clinched the match.

Alabama finished the season with a 6-15 record while LSU improved to 14-8 overall and advanced to the second round to face the winner of the match between Kentucky and Ole Miss.

"We measured our success this year in the distance we have climbed in improvement from January to now," said Mainz. "We've really come a long way this season and I was gratified by the way this team competed, especially toward the end of the season. We were playing our best tennis at the end of the season, and we improved all the way through. In terms of confidence, energy and motivation, I was really proud of how this team developed, and I think we are in good shape to build on this for next year."

Thursday, April 17, 2008Yarbrough Tennis Center, Auburn, Ala.SEC Tournament - First Round
#6 LSU 4, #11 Alabama 1
Singles1. #12 Megan Falcon (LSU) def. Tiffany Welcher (UA) 7-6 (2), 7-52. Mykala Hedberg (LSU) def. Paulina Bigos (UA) 6-1, 7-53. Hannah Robinson (LSU) vs. Alice Tunaru (UA) DNF4. Nicole Kantor (LSU) def. Meritt Emery (UA) 6-4, 6-05. Shelly Goodwin (UA) def. Tiffany Tucker (LSU) 6-3, 6-16. Staten Spencer (LSU) vs. Bianca Svnesson (UA) DNFOrder of Finish: 5, 2, 4, 1
Doubles1. #22 Falcon/Hedberg (LSU) def. Brenes/Bigos (UA) 8-42. Welcher/Emery (UA) def. Robinson/Tucker (LSU) 8-53. Spencer/Kantor (LSU) def. Goodwin/Svnesson (UA) 8-4Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3