Alabama women’s tennis fell in its first conference match up, losing to the No. 9 LSU Tigers in a 4-3 decision. The Crimson Tide, ranked 38, was able to capture a doubles point, but still came up short in the match.

Alabama junior Danielle Spielmann joined sophomore Aryn Greene to take a 6-1 doubles victory against Abigail Owens and Skylar Kuykendall. The Alabama duo came out strong in that match, winning the first five games.

Alabama’s doubles crew picked up another victory, when senior Natalia Maynetto and junior Joanna Nena Savva defeated LSU’s Skylar Holloway and Ella Taylor 6-3. The Crimson Tide duo got off to a hot start in that match, taking a three game lead. Holloway and Taylor were able to bounce back, getting as close as 4-3, but could not complete the comeback.

“That’s the best doubles point we’ve played all year,” said Alabama head coach Jenny Mainz. “We were loose. We were confident. We were decisive. We were running our plays. We got a good start. I think that’s hurt us in some matches previously, that we kind of got a slow start. Today we got a good, confident start.”

The Tigers were able to bounce back in the singles matches, with LSU taking five of the first six sets away from Alabama. The team’s hot start in singles play pushed the Tigers to a 2-1 advantage over the Crimson Tide. Only Spielmann won a set in the first six match ups.

Multiple singles match up would go the distance, including No. 38 freshman Andie Daniell taking down No. 20 Joana Vale Costa 1-6, 6-3, 6-1. Kuykendall would ultimately clinch the team win for the Tigers, taking down Maynetto on fourt four with a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 victory.

“We’ve got to build on this,” explained Mainz. “I know we didn’t win the match, but we did a lot of things really well. We competed really well. We have to build on this and get ready for Saturday.”

Alabama wiil be back in action March 5, when it faces yet another top-20 opponent in No. 14 Texas A&M.