No. 18 Alabama women’s tennis split last weekend, losing to No. 8 LSU on March 7 but beating Ole Miss on March 9 to move to 9-4 on the season and 3-2 in SEC play.
“I believe we are improving our competitiveness with each match we play,” head coach Jonatan Berhane said. “I am proud of the attitude and resilience we demonstrated in our matches this weekend.”
LSU
The Crimson Tide started the weekend with a 4-2 loss on March 7.
In doubles, the Tigers started with Cadence Brace and Kayla Cross claiming a 6-2 victory over Alabama’s Klara Milicevic and Sara Nayar. But the Crimson Tide fought back as Maria Martinez-Vaquero and Maria Andrienko claimed a 6-2 win over LSU’s Tilwith Di Girolami and Anita Sahdiieva, setting up a tie breaking match.
In the tiebreaker, LSU’s Kinaa Graham and Gaby Rivera claimed the doubles point with a 6-4 victory over Alabama’s Petra Sedlackova and Priya Nelson, putting the Tigers up 1-0.
Singles play saw LSU’s Kenna Ericksona win in two sets over Nelson (6-1, 6-3). Cross kept it rolling for the Tigers with a two-set win over Andrienko (6-0, 6-2).
Sedlackova, who is ranked No. 79 in the nation in singles, claimed a two-set victory over Brace (6-0, 6-4) and Martinez-Vaquero had a pair of 6-2 victories over Sahdiieva, but LSU clinched the match point as Di Girolami emerged victorious in three sets over Milicevic (3-6, 6-1, 6-3).
Ole Miss
Alabama responded strongly on March 9, sweeping Ole Miss 4-0.
The Rebels came out hot as Ludmila Kareisova and Anaelle Leclercq claimed a 6-1 victory over Sedlackova and Maquet. But the Crimson Tide promptly responded as Nayar and Milicevic won 6-2 over Ole Miss’s Brooklyn Olson and Emily Welker.
In the match that decided the doubles point, Martinez-Vaquero and Andrienko emerged victorious with a 6-2 advantage over the Rebels’ duo of Lucie Petruzelova and Andrea Nova, putting Alabama up 1-0 early.
The Crimson Tide made quick work of singles. Nayar started with a 6-1, 6-0 two-set victory over Leclercq, then Martinez-Vaque won in two (6-4, 6-2) over Alice Soulie.
Sedlackova finished the Crimson Tide sweep with a win over Kareisova in two sets (6-1, 6-4).
“While we celebrate our victory today, we must shift our focus and prepare for what’s ahead,” Berhane said.
