The University of Mississippi Athletics
Sunday, February 22
Oxford, Miss.
1 p.m.
Ole Miss
5
vs
2
LSU
Women’s Tennis Upsets No. 4 LSU to Begin Conference Play
2/22/2026 | Women's Tennis
OXFORD, Miss. – Head coach Grant Roberts begins his first conference season with a top-five win after Ole Miss defeated No. 4 LSU, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at the William F. Galtney Indoor Tennis Center.
The win on Sunday marked Roberts' first ranked win and first SEC win as head coach of the Rebels.
Ole Miss (6-1, 1-0 SEC) up 3-1 and needing one point to secure victory against LSU (7-2, 0-1 SEC), all eyes turned to court six, where Ichino Horikawa was facing off against Florentine Dekkers.
After a decisive first set in favor of Dekkers, the second set would turn into a marathon as it went into an intense tiebreaker. That would end with Horikawa coming out victorious, 7-6 (11-9) to tie.
After winning the tiebreaker, Horikawa never looked back, for she secured the third set dominantly, winning 6-1, delivering the clinching match point for the Rebels.
The Rebels started the day hot in doubles, with Alice Soulié and Riley Crowder cruising to victory over Carolina Kuhl and Alexia Marginean, 6-2. Shortly after, the doubles point was secured by the Rebel pairing of No. 71 Emily Welker and Andrea Nova, who beat Kinaa Graham and Addison Lanton, 6-2.
The final doubles court would be cut short, with No. 51 Kenna Erickson and Ella McDonald holding a 5-3 advantage against Brooklyn Olson and Horikawa.
With a 1-0 lead, the Rebels entered singles play with momentum, for Nova would take care of her opponent, No. 96 Graham, defeating her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
The Tigers would get on the board after No. 114 Kuhl won, 6-3, 6-3, against Olson.
On court one in the second set, No. 11 Welker found herself in an intense tiebreaker. Welker mustered enough energy to push past McDonald, 7-6 (7-4), which set up Horikawa to deliver the final blow to the Tigers.
Following Horikawa's singles win, and the match already decided, 4-1, the remaining two matches were played to their completion. Crowder widened the margin of victory for the Rebels as she went on to defeat No. 107 Kenna Erickson 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
The final match was between Soulié and No. 115 Lanton, with Lanton winning a tight match 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
Up next, the Rebels will travel to Athens, Georgia, to take on No. 1 Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Magill Tennis Complex at 4 p.m.
SUNDAY'S RESULTS:
Doubles
No. 71 Welker/Nova (Ole Miss) def. Kinaa Graham/Addison Lanton (LSU) 6-2
Soulié/Crowder (Ole Miss) def. Carolina Kuhl/Alexia Marginean (LSU) 6-2
Olson/Horikawa (Ole Miss) vs. No. 51 Kenna Erickson/Ella McDonald (LSU) 3-5, uf.
Singles
No. 11 Welker (Ole Miss) def. Ella McDonald (LSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
No. 114 Carolina Kuhl (LSU) def. Olson (Ole Miss) 6-3, 6-3
No. 115 Addison Lanton (LSU) def. Soulié (Ole Miss) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)
Nova (Ole Miss) def. No. 96 Kinaa Graham (LSU) 6-3, 6-3
Crowder (Ole Miss) def. No. 107 Kenna Erickson (LSU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
Horikawa (Ole Miss) def. Florentine Dekkers (LSU) 1-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-1
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also, follow Coach Roberts on Twitter, @gdrob91.
The win on Sunday marked Roberts' first ranked win and first SEC win as head coach of the Rebels.
Ole Miss (6-1, 1-0 SEC) up 3-1 and needing one point to secure victory against LSU (7-2, 0-1 SEC), all eyes turned to court six, where Ichino Horikawa was facing off against Florentine Dekkers.
After a decisive first set in favor of Dekkers, the second set would turn into a marathon as it went into an intense tiebreaker. That would end with Horikawa coming out victorious, 7-6 (11-9) to tie.
After winning the tiebreaker, Horikawa never looked back, for she secured the third set dominantly, winning 6-1, delivering the clinching match point for the Rebels.
The Rebels started the day hot in doubles, with Alice Soulié and Riley Crowder cruising to victory over Carolina Kuhl and Alexia Marginean, 6-2. Shortly after, the doubles point was secured by the Rebel pairing of No. 71 Emily Welker and Andrea Nova, who beat Kinaa Graham and Addison Lanton, 6-2.
The final doubles court would be cut short, with No. 51 Kenna Erickson and Ella McDonald holding a 5-3 advantage against Brooklyn Olson and Horikawa.
With a 1-0 lead, the Rebels entered singles play with momentum, for Nova would take care of her opponent, No. 96 Graham, defeating her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.
The Tigers would get on the board after No. 114 Kuhl won, 6-3, 6-3, against Olson.
On court one in the second set, No. 11 Welker found herself in an intense tiebreaker. Welker mustered enough energy to push past McDonald, 7-6 (7-4), which set up Horikawa to deliver the final blow to the Tigers.
Following Horikawa's singles win, and the match already decided, 4-1, the remaining two matches were played to their completion. Crowder widened the margin of victory for the Rebels as she went on to defeat No. 107 Kenna Erickson 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.
The final match was between Soulié and No. 115 Lanton, with Lanton winning a tight match 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4).
Up next, the Rebels will travel to Athens, Georgia, to take on No. 1 Georgia on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Magill Tennis Complex at 4 p.m.
SUNDAY'S RESULTS:
Doubles
No. 71 Welker/Nova (Ole Miss) def. Kinaa Graham/Addison Lanton (LSU) 6-2
Soulié/Crowder (Ole Miss) def. Carolina Kuhl/Alexia Marginean (LSU) 6-2
Olson/Horikawa (Ole Miss) vs. No. 51 Kenna Erickson/Ella McDonald (LSU) 3-5, uf.
Singles
No. 11 Welker (Ole Miss) def. Ella McDonald (LSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
No. 114 Carolina Kuhl (LSU) def. Olson (Ole Miss) 6-3, 6-3
No. 115 Addison Lanton (LSU) def. Soulié (Ole Miss) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4)
Nova (Ole Miss) def. No. 96 Kinaa Graham (LSU) 6-3, 6-3
Crowder (Ole Miss) def. No. 107 Kenna Erickson (LSU) 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
Horikawa (Ole Miss) def. Florentine Dekkers (LSU) 1-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-1
FOLLOW THE REBELS ON SOCIAL
For more information on Ole Miss Women's Tennis, follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWTennis, on Facebook at OleMissWTennis and on Instagram at OleMissWTennis. Also, follow Coach Roberts on Twitter, @gdrob91.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
2,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Ella McDonald / 0 [LSU]
46
67
#2 Singles Match
12
Carolina Kuhl / 0 (114/-) [LSU]
66
33
#3 Singles Match
123
Addison Lanton / 0 (115/-) [LSU]
647
266
#4 Singles Match
12
Kinaa Graham / 0 (96/-) [LSU]
33
66
#5 Singles Match
123
Kenna Erickson / 0 (107/-) [LSU]
663
376
#6 Singles Match
123
Florentine Dekkers / 0 [LSU]
661
176
Order of Finish:
4,2,1,6,5,3
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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