LSU Gold

Men's Tennis Finishes Day Two of Regionals

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
+0
Men's Tennis Finishes Day Two of Regionals

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tigers finished a long day Friday at the ITA Region III Championships with two singles players still in the hunt for a tournament title. Jason Hazley and Ken Skupski both advanced to tomorrow’s round of 32.

“Ken continued to build on the success he has been having recently,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “And Jason got himself back on the right track.”

Skupski beat Ben Birkmann of Jacksonville, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Hazley toppled Jose-Carlos Pinto of Mississippi State, 6-3, 6-2.

The Tigers’ Cory Ross won his first match of the season Friday over Georgia State’s Matija Sulin, 6-2, 6-3. In the next round he met the 90th-ranked player in the nation, Tulane’s Dimitri Koch. Koch edged Ross, 6-4, 6-4. Bryan Fisher and Colt Gaston of LSU were also eliminated Friday.

“It was very significant that Cory took care of business in the first match so he could get back in the swing of things,” Brown said. “He ran into a top player.”

Injuries kept Ross out of the first two tournaments. Koch was seeded ninth.

The Tigers were not so fortunate in doubles play. Both teams that competed Friday were eliminated. Hazley and Brandon Nicholson lost, 8-4, to Rishan Kuruppu and Andreas Siljestrom of Middle Tennessee. Ross and Colt Gaston fell to Frederik Aarum and Claes Lindholm of Ole Miss, 8-5.

“The doubles teams were new combinations,” Brown said.

Tomorrow another new Tigers duo will try to fare better against a tough Georgia team. Bryan Fisher and Skupski received a first round bye and begin tomorrow against Matias Ormaza and Richardo Gonzales at 4 p.m.

Skupski and Hazley will get the chance to take down ranked opponents tomorrow. Skupski faces 19th-ranked Paul Ciorascu of Ole Miss at 9 a.m. and Hazley plays 97th-ranked Claes Lindohom, also of Ole Miss.

ITA Region III Championships

Singles

Round of 128
Cory Ross (LSU) def. Matija Sulin (Georgia State), 6-2, 6-3
Rishan Kuruppu (Middle Tennessee State) def. Colt Gaston (LSU), 6-3, 7-6(1)

Round of 64
(25-32) Jason Hazley (LSU) def. Jose-Carlos Pinto (Mississippi State), 6-3, 6-2
(17-24) Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Ben Birkmann (Jacksonville), 6-4, 2-6, 6-1
Antonio Sierra (Central Florida) def. (25-32) Bryan Fisher (LSU), 6-3, 7-6
(9-16) #90 Dmitriy Koch (Tulane) def. Cory Ross (LSU), 6-4, 6-4

Round of 32 (Saturday)
(17-24) Ken Skupski (LSU) vs. (6) #19 Paul Ciorascu (Ole Miss), 9 a.m.
(25-32) Jason Hazley (LSU) vs. (9) #97 Claes Lindholm (Ole Miss), 10:30 a.m.

Doubles
Round of 64
Kuruppu/Siljestrom (MTSU) def. Hazley/Nicholson (LSU), 8-4
Aarum/Lindholm (Ole Miss) def. Ross/Gaston (LSU), 8-5
(3) Fisher/Skupski (LSU) received bye

Round of 32 (Saturday)
(3) Fisher/Skupski (LSU) vs. Gonzales/Ormaza (Georgia), 4 p.m.