LSU women’s tennis senior Paris Corley’s magical run in the NCAA national championship singles tournament ended Wednesday when she lost to third-seed Emma Navarro of Virginia, 6-2, 6-1, in the quarterfinals at Orlando’s USTA National Campus
Corley finished her final Tigers’ season with a 22-5 record and earned a spot on the 2021 ITA Singles All-American team.
She entered the tourney as the No. 60 seed and began chopping her way through the bracket with an opening Sunday win over 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win over Xavier’s Ahmeir Kyle.
Then on Monday, Corley pulled a stunner in the round of 32. She handed Big Ten Conference Player of the Year Alexa Noel of Iowa her first defeat of the season after 24 consecutive wins, rallying for a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory.
On Tuesday in the round of 16, Corley beat Auburn’s Selin Ovune 6-4, 6-0 before she lost in straight sets to Navarro in the quarters.
Corley became only the fourth Tiger ever to advance to the NCAA singles quarterfinals, joining Suzana Rodrigues (1994), Bruna Colosio (2000, 2001), and Megan Falcon (2007).
“We’re blessed to have had Paris in our program for the past three seasons,” LSU co-head coach Michael Sell said. “For her to end her career with a strong run in the NCAA singles tournament, beating some of the best players in college tennis, is amazing. She embodies everything you want in a tennis player and a human being, and the individual success she had to end a season of strong leadership is nothing but deserved.”
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