University of Houston
LSU
Tigers Squeak Past Tennis
2/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
Feb. 10, 2005
HOUSTON - Play resumed indoors on Wednesday for the Cougars and LSU tennis teams, after rain forced Tuesday's match to be postponed after just the first set of singles action.
The Tigers, who were ranked No. 23 in the country after the preseason polls were released and now stand at No. 40, squeaked out the win in 4-3 fashion, dropping the Cougars to 2-2 on the year.
The last time the two teams met up was back in 2003 when LSU came away with a 7-0 sweep over Houston. However, this time the Cougars had a chance to win the match but just fell short.
"We are competing against some teams that we haven't faced in a while," said Houston head coach John Severance. "The trick now is to not just compete, but get over that hill and start beating these team and I think we are close, especially with it being this early in the season."
Once again senior Bilijana Dimovska came away victorious at the No. 1 spot, this time facing the Tigers' Amanda Mang. The two battled through a three-set match before Dimovska won out 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Dimovska, the current Conference USA Player of the Year, extended her unbeaten singles streak to 4-0 in 2005 with the win.
Also winning in singles action were juniors Kami Miller and Yolandi Terblanche, both of whom are now 3-1 in singles play. Miller won in a 6-4, 6-4 match at the No. 4 spot, while Terblanche walked away with a 6-3, 6-1 win at the No. 6 position.
A tight match at the No. 2 spot between Houston's freshman Brianna Bateup and LSU's Lauren Seaman, could have been the difference in the match for the Cougars. The two netters battled through a three-set match that ended with Bateup falling 4-6, 6-3, 0-6.
Losses at the No. 3 and 5 spots, sent the two teams into doubles play tied at three apiece.
In the end the Cougars couldn't hold on as the Tigers swept the doubles play to take the match 4-3 from Houston.
Houston next hosts Texas Tech at home on the John E. Hoff Tennis Courts on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 11 a.m.
LSU wins 4-3
Singles
Dimovska (UH) def. Mang (LSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Seaman (LSU) def. Bateup (UH) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0
Spencer (LSU) def. Martin (UH) 6-2, 7-6
Miller (UH) def. Chiarelli (LSU) 6-4, 6-4
Tucker (LSU) def. McLoughlin (UH) 6-4, 6-1
Terblanche (UH) def. Dubova (LSU) 6-3, 6-1
Doubles
Seaman/Tucker (LSU) def. Dimovska/Martin (UH) 8-2
Spencer/Mang (LSU) def. Gumbs/Terblanche (UH) 8-2
Caliari/Chiarelli (LSU) def. Miller/Bateup (UH) 8-6
