Terriers Set to Face No. 12 LSU in NCAA Opener Friday Afternoon
May 6, 2021 | Women's Tennis
Article: Senior Class Guides Women's Tennis' Return Atop the Patriot League
BOSTON – Making its 18th overall NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2017, the Patriot League champion Boston University women's tennis team will open the four-team Baton Rouge Regional against No. 12-seeded and host LSU with action slated to begin Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
The Terriers (10-1) and 14th-nationally ranked Tigers (14-5) will meet for the first time ever after No. 20 Michigan (17-3) and No. 40 Rice (15-6) first battle each other at 11 a.m. ET. Riding a nine-match win streak, BU has the distinction of being the only conference champion in the regional with the other three participants all earning an NCAA at-large bid.
Led by 36th-year head coach Lesley Sheehan, BU claimed her 27th conference title this past weekend by eliminating Lafayette, Bucknell and PL tournament host Navy. The Terriers' last win over a ranked team occurred at then-No. 63 BC in 2013 with BU last defeating a team in the national polls outside of Massachusetts in 2009 at No. 52 VCU and No. 75 South Florida, respectively.
On Friday, the Terriers will be facing their first ranked opponent of the season in a LSU squad that posted earlier victories against then-No. 9 Vanderbilt (4-2), No. 20 Auburn (4-3) and No. 23 Tennessee (4-2). The Tigers also swept Rice, 4-0, back on Jan. 31.
LSU features a pair of ranked singles players in No. 53 Taylor Bridges and No. 60 Paris Corley. The duo also ranks No. 84 in doubles.
BU is led by freshman and PL tournament MVP Kaitlin Tan, who owns a combined 8-0 singles record at lines 2-3 along with a 9-2 doubles mark. Sophomore Erica Di Battista is 6-1 this spring after going 15-4 last season with an upset win over Syracuse's then-No. 64 Guzal Yusupova. Both seniors Lily Burchell and Emily Kim enter the regional with eight wins apiece. Both freshman Victoria Carlsten and senior Katya Martens earned four wins apiece with Carlsten posting a No. 1 win in straight sets in the PL final.
On the doubles end, Burchell and Kim teamed for a 4-3 record in the top slot, while Di Battista and Carlsten earned a 4-1 record at line 2. Tan and junior Shelly Yaloz have proved a tough tandem with a 5-1 record at line 3.
Friday's winners will meet in the second round on Saturday (May 8) at 2 p.m. ET.
BOSTON – Making its 18th overall NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2017, the Patriot League champion Boston University women's tennis team will open the four-team Baton Rouge Regional against No. 12-seeded and host LSU with action slated to begin Friday at 2 p.m. ET.
The Terriers (10-1) and 14th-nationally ranked Tigers (14-5) will meet for the first time ever after No. 20 Michigan (17-3) and No. 40 Rice (15-6) first battle each other at 11 a.m. ET. Riding a nine-match win streak, BU has the distinction of being the only conference champion in the regional with the other three participants all earning an NCAA at-large bid.
Led by 36th-year head coach Lesley Sheehan, BU claimed her 27th conference title this past weekend by eliminating Lafayette, Bucknell and PL tournament host Navy. The Terriers' last win over a ranked team occurred at then-No. 63 BC in 2013 with BU last defeating a team in the national polls outside of Massachusetts in 2009 at No. 52 VCU and No. 75 South Florida, respectively.
On Friday, the Terriers will be facing their first ranked opponent of the season in a LSU squad that posted earlier victories against then-No. 9 Vanderbilt (4-2), No. 20 Auburn (4-3) and No. 23 Tennessee (4-2). The Tigers also swept Rice, 4-0, back on Jan. 31.
LSU features a pair of ranked singles players in No. 53 Taylor Bridges and No. 60 Paris Corley. The duo also ranks No. 84 in doubles.
BU is led by freshman and PL tournament MVP Kaitlin Tan, who owns a combined 8-0 singles record at lines 2-3 along with a 9-2 doubles mark. Sophomore Erica Di Battista is 6-1 this spring after going 15-4 last season with an upset win over Syracuse's then-No. 64 Guzal Yusupova. Both seniors Lily Burchell and Emily Kim enter the regional with eight wins apiece. Both freshman Victoria Carlsten and senior Katya Martens earned four wins apiece with Carlsten posting a No. 1 win in straight sets in the PL final.
On the doubles end, Burchell and Kim teamed for a 4-3 record in the top slot, while Di Battista and Carlsten earned a 4-1 record at line 2. Tan and junior Shelly Yaloz have proved a tough tandem with a 5-1 record at line 3.
Friday's winners will meet in the second round on Saturday (May 8) at 2 p.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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