NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU men’s tennis team looks to extend its winning streak to three-straight matches on Friday, as the Tigers face the Vanderbilt Commodores at 2 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.
“We’re looking at this match as a very big match for us,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “This is definitely a match that could be considered a quality win and it will prove to be a huge win for us when it comes to the NCAA selection committee.”
The Tigers head into Friday’s Southeastern Conference showdown with an overall record of 5-8 on the season and an 0-6 mark against conference opponents. LSU earned two vital non-conference victories last week versus 23rd-ranked South Florida, 5-2, and Southern Miss, 6-1. Both of the Tigers’ wins came at home at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
“We won our last two matches and I think that it helped us to regain some of our confidence,” Brown said. “We have a very young team this season, and with us in the midst of a winning streak, it gives us a better chance to improve and to continue to play well.”
Vanderbilt enters Friday’s match with a 7-8 overall record and an 0-5 mark against SEC opponents. The Commodores recently snapped a seven-match losing streak with a 6-1 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.
Six of Vanderbilt’s eight losses on the season have come against top-25 opponents. The Commodores were defeated by No. 1 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 9 Florida, No. 13 Tennessee, No. 14 Ohio State and 21st-ranked Mississippi State. In its eight losses, Vanderbilt was only outscored by a total of 15 points.
Last season, the Tigers notched its second-consecutive victory against Vanderbilt with a 6-1 win at home in Baton Rouge. With the win, LSU extended its lead in the all-time series to 37-12-1.
The LSU men’s tennis team will look to pick up its third-straight victory over the Vanderbilt Commodores on Friday in an SEC duel at 2 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.