The LSU women’s tennis team lost a close 4-3 match to Auburn in the Southeastern Conference Championship on April 19 at the Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman, Oklahoma. LSU, seeded ninth and ranked No. 15 nationally, now has a record of 19-9 for the season while third-seeded Auburn improves to 32-3.
The result is significant as it came during the conference championship final, highlighting both teams’ strong performances throughout the season. The tightly contested match saw several lead changes and was ultimately decided in the final singles contest.
Head coach Taylor Fogleman said, “First of all, it was an incredible college tennis match today. Congrats to Auburn, Jordan (Szabo), his staff, and their players. It’s difficult for us not to look at the week as a whole. We came in with a lot of question marks, and I think our kids showed a tremendous amount of togetherness and resolve throughout the entire week, including today. It certainly hurts when you’re that close to something everyone in the program has wanted so much. Still, I hope that after some time and reflection, our group recognizes that they are one of the best teams in the country and have what it takes to be the best as we move into postseason play. I’m really proud of our players and our staff. It’s a great time for LSU women’s tennis, and we’re moving in the right direction. There’s still work to do, and we’re excited for the next few weeks as we finish the season.”
In doubles play, Addison Lanton and Carolina Kuhl lost their set on court three while Kenna Erickson and Ella McDonald were defeated on court two by Okutoyi and Refaat from Auburn—giving Auburn an early lead by securing both completed doubles matches.
During singles competition, Kuhl tied up LSU with her win over Bowers before Cadence Brace fell against Bennett from Auburn. Lanton then evened things again with her victory over Refaat while Kayla Cross gave LSU its only lead by defeating Khairutdinova on court two.
McDonald could not hold off Okutoyi from Auburn on court three; this tied up both teams at three points each going into a decisive sixth singles match between Kinaa Graham (LSU) and Eva Ionescu (Auburn). After splitting sets—including two tiebreaks—Ionescu won out in another tiebreaker during set three clinching victory for Auburn.
Looking ahead, LSU will participate next in NCAA Regional action scheduled for May 1–4 following selection announcements set for April 27.
