GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The LSU men’s tennis team couldn’t contain seventh-ranked Florida on Friday in a 5-2 loss to open conference play.
Ninth-ranked LSU (10-2, 0-1 SEC) won the doubles point, but the Gators’ powerful singles lineup dominated after that.
“There wasn’t much difference in these teams, but Florida is a little better than us right now,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown.
Both of LSU’s ranked doubles teams came away with wins in doubles. No. 4 Mark Growcott and Ken Skupski beat Hamid Mirzadeh and Greg Oullette on court one. Reigning SEC player of the week Jason Hazley and his partner Danny Bryan won on court two to clinch that point.
Growcott continued to cruise at No. 2 singles, winning his match there over No. 59-ranked. It was the ninth consecutive singles win for Growcott, who is unranked.
“Mark has a great serve,” Brown said. “He’s got a chance in any match he plays. Right now it’s almost like we’re playing with two number ones.”
That was all the team points LSU would get. Paul White lost on court six to Florida’s Ryan Sherry, then Skupski lost on court one to former All-American Hamid Mirzadeh.
Peter Richman also lost in straight sets on court four to Nestor Briceno. Hazley won his first set but dropped the next two to 29th-ranked Greg Oullette, clinching the match for Florida.
Danny Bryan came back in his second set against No. 69 Chris Brandi, but couldn’t hang on in the third.
“I saw some good things out there today,” Brown said. “I think we’ll be able to make up the difference by the end of the season.”
Florida moved to 6-4 on the season with the win.
LSU gets a chance to even its SEC record Sunday against South Carolina at 8 a.m., CST.
“Our focus is already on the South Carolina match,” Brown said. “We are going to be ready.”
Florida def. LSU, 5-2
Singles
Hamid Mirzadeh (UF) def. #5 Ken Skupski (LSU), 6-4, 7-5
Mark Growcott (LSU) def. #59 Vladimir Obradovic (UF), 6-3, 6-2
#29 Greg Ouellette (UF) def. #95 Jason Hazley (LSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
Nestor Briceno (UF) def. Peter Richman (LSU), 6-3, 6-4
#69 Chris Brandi (UF) def. Danny Bryan (LSU), 6-4, 6-7 (3), 6-2
Ryan Sherry (UF) def. Paul White (LSU), 6-4, 6-1
Order of Finish — 2, 6, 1, 4, 3, 5
Doubles
#4 Mark Growcott/Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Hamid Mirzadeh/Greg Ouellette (UF), 8-5
#37 Danny Bryan/Jason Hazley (LSU) def. Chris Brandi/Vladimir Obradovic (UF), 8-5
Jordan Dolberg/Ryan Sherry (UF) def. Peter Richman/Paul White (LSU), 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 1, 2