LEXINGTON, Ky. — The LSU men’s tennis team split its first round matches Friday at the SEC Indoor Championship going 5-5 in singles and 2-2 in doubles.
Tiger junior, Ken Skupski got off to a good start defeating Auburn’s Terence Nugent, 6-4, 6-2. Skupski will face Jakob Kleason of Ole Miss, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (EST).
Skupski also excelled on the doubles court, where he and teammate Mark Growcott won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals. The pair defeated Josh Irey and Eric Lim of Mississippi State, 8-3, in the first round before finishing off Bobby Cameron and Derek Stephens of Tennessee, 9-8 (7), in the round of 16.
LSU head coach Jeff Brown was pleased with the duo’s success.
“Ken and Mark played well today,” said Brown. “Ken had a real good day and Mark looked good after having come off his injury in the fall. They both competed hard today and picked up some quality wins.”
No. 24 ranked Colt Gaston and Danny Bryan also won Friday, defeating Shane Anderson and Greg Collins of Kentucky 8-4. However, Georgia’s Luis Flores and Matic Omerzel, 8-4, knocked out the Tiger duo in the round of 16.
Bryan was also victorious in singles play, easily handling Josh Varela of Georgia, 6-2, 6-1.
While unable to secure a victory, the doubles team of Paul White and freshmen James Cluskey played very well Friday. The Tiger tandem took defending national champions John Isner and Antonio Ruiz to a tiebreaker, before losing 9-8 (7).
Back on the singles side, Martel Campbell bested Evan Dufaux of Vanderbilt, 7-6 (4), 7-5.
Walk-on Eric DeRoche was successful in his SEC Indoor debut, downing Taylor Stripling of Alabama 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. He will now face LSU teammate Gaston, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (EST). Gaston outlasted Georgia’s Ricardo Gonzalez, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1), in his first singles match.
“Tomorrow is another day and it’s another chance to prove ourselves against some great competition,” said Brown.
Kevin Dessauer, Jose Moncada, James Cluskey, Mark Growcott and Paul White were all defeated in first round singles play but will have a chance to rebound Saturday in the consolation round. Those match-ups will be announced Saturday morning.
SEC Indoor Championship
Friday, January 20, 2006
Singles
Round of 64
(10) Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Terence Nugent (Auburn) 6-4, 6-2
Martel Campbell (LSU) def. Evan Dufaux (Vanderbilt) 7-6 (4), 7-5
Colt Gaston (LSU) def. Ricardo Gonzalez (UGA) 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)
Eric DeRoche (LSU) def. Taylor Striplin (Alabama) 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Rawl Martin (UT) def. James Cluskey (LSU) 6-2, 6-3
Danny Bryan (LSU) def. Josh Varela (UGA) 6-2, 6-1
(13) Nate Emge (UK) def. Paul White (LSU) 2-6, 6-3, 6-2
(9) Ryan Preston (Vanderbilt) def. Mark Growcott (LSU) 6-4, 6-2
Kaden Hensel (UT) def. Kevin Dessauer (LSU) 6-2,4-6, 6-2
Nathan Sachs (Vanderbilt) def. Jose Moncada (LSU) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
Round 32
(1) Purcell/Bobusic (UGA) def. Campbell/Dessauer (LSU) 8-3
(4) Bryan/Gaston (LSU) def. Anderson/Collins (UK) 8-4
(8) Isner/Ruiz (UGA) def. White/Cluskey (LSU) 9-8 (7)
(2) Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Irey/Lim (MSU) 8-3
Round 16
Flores/Omerzel (UGA) def. (4) Bryan/Gaston (LSU) 8-4
(2) Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Cameron/Stephens (UT) 9-8 (5)
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Singles
Round 32
(10) Ken Skupski (LSU) vs. Jakob Klaeson (Ole Miss) 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Martel Campbell (LSU) vs. Marcus Sundh (UT)1:00 p.m. (EST)
Colt Gaston (LSU) vs. Eric DeRoche (LSU) 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Danny Bryan (LSU) vs. Carey Rubin (UK) 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Consolation Round
Kevin Dessauer (LSU) vs. TBA
Jose Moncada (LSU) vs. TBA
James Cluskey (LSU) vs. TBA
Paul White (LSU) vs. TBA
Doubles
Quarterfinals
Skupski/Growcott (LSU) vs. TBA, 10:00 a.m. (EST)