Thursday, 04/19/2012

OXFORD, Miss. -- The LSU women’s tennis team fell to Arkansas 4-1 in the first round of the SEC Tournament at Palmer/Salloum Tennis Center on the Ole Miss Campus Thursday.

LSU (11-12) was eliminated from the SEC Tournament, while Arkansas (12-12) advances to face No. 2 seed, Alabama (16-3) Friday at noon CT.

Ariel Morton won her second-consecutive singles match in straight sets on court six as one of the afternoon’s bright spots for the Lady Tigers.

Whitney Wolf and Keri Frankenberger also won in doubles for the second-straight time.

“This was a tough loss today,” LSU head coach Tony Minnis said. “It’s unfortunate, but Arkansas played well. Now we just sit back and wait to see if we will get an NCAA Tournament bid.”

The two teams split the first two courts in doubles as Arkansas’ Stephanie Roy and Emily Carbone overcame Olivia Howlett and Yvette Vlaar 8-5 on court two before Wolf and Frankenberger cruised 8-4 over Claudine Paulson and Laurie Gingras on court one.

With all eyes focused on court three, Kate Lukomskaya and Catherine Parenteau clinched the doubles point for Arkansas 8-6 against Kaitlin Burns and Ariel Morton.

With the action shifting to singles, Arkansas quickly seized control of the match taking the first set on four courts.

Gingras beat Vlaar 6-3, 6-0 on court five to give Arkansas a 2-0 lead.

Lukomskaya then brought Arkansas within a point of the finish line with a 6-3, 6-1 result over Frankenberger on court four.

Morton kept the Lady Tigers alive in the overall match with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Parenteau on court six for her second win of the dual match season and fourth from her last five overall

Roy then clinched the match for Arkansas 6-4, 6-3 over Howlett on court two.

The two remaining singles courts did not finish, but Wolf and Carbone were in a third set on court one, while Burns was up a set and entering a second set tiebreaker on court three against Paulson.

The 2012 NCAA Women’s Tennis Team Tournament Selection Show will be available on www.NCAA.com Tuesday May, 1 at 4 p.m. CT.

For the latest updates and information follow the Lady Tigers on Twitter @LSUwten and at www.Facebook.com/lsuwten.

#36 Arkansas 4, #41 LSU 1

Singles

1. Whitney Wolf (LSU) vs. Emily Carbone (ARK) 3‐6, 6‐0, 0‐3, unfinished
2. Stephanie Roy (ARK) def. Olivia Howlett (LSU) 6‐4, 6‐3
3. Kaitlin Burns (LSU) vs. Claudine Paulson (ARK) 6‐3, 6‐6, unfinished
4. Kate Lukomskaya (ARK) def. Keri Frankenberger (LSU) 6‐3, 6‐1
5. Laurie Gringas (ARK) def. Yvette Vlaar (LSU) 6‐3, 6‐0
6. Ariel Morton (LSU) def. Catherine Parenteau (ARK) 6‐3, 6‐2

Doubles

1. Keri Frankenberger/Whitney Wolf (LSU) def. Claudine Paulson/Laurie Gringas (ARK) 8‐4
2. Stephanie Roy/Emily Carbone (ARK) def. Olivia Howlett/Yvette Vlaar (LSU) 8‐5
3. Kate Lukomskaya/Catherine Parenteau (ARK) def. Kaitlin Burns/Ariel Morton (LSU) 8‐6

Match Notes:

Arkansas 12‐12; National ranking #36
LSU 11‐12; National ranking #41

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,4,6,2)