ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The No. 11-ranked LSU men’s tennis team overcame a large and rowdy crowd Friday to keep its record unblemished and win its first road match with a 5-2 victory over 44th-ranked Michigan.
The Tigers took command early, snatching the doubles point with wins on the No. 1 and No. 2 courts. LSU’s ranked doubles tandems, No. 10 Mark Growcott and Ken Skupski and No. 24 Danny Bryan and Colt Gaston, remained undefeated.
LSU’s No. 3 doubles team of Paul White and James Cluskey suffered their first dual match loss of the season, surrendering a hard fought 8-7 (6) decision to Scott Bruckmann and Steve Peretz.
LSU picked up another quick point when Michigan’s No. 1 singles player Matko Maravic was forced to retire due to injury against Ken Skupski.
After a loss by Bryan, Cluskey put the Tigers up 3-1 with a 6-3, 6-2 straight set win over Michigan’s Peter Aarts on the No. 6 court.
Gaston picked up the clincher with a victory over 62nd-ranked Ryan Heller on court three. Gaston outlasted Heller 7-6 in the first set, winning 7-4 in the tiebreaker. The Tiger sophomore sealed the victory by putting Heller away 6-3 in the second set.
Growcott gave the Tigers their final point, coming back from a 5-7 first set loss to win 6-3 in set two and 10-8 in a super tiebreaker third set.
LSU head coach Jeff Brown was pleased with the way his squad performed Friday and the way they overcame the hostile environment.
“It really is a tough place to play,” said Brown. “I liked the way we were able take the momentum early by winning the doubles point and then we had some good singles play to close it out.”
The Tigers will now travel to Columbus, Ohio where they will meet up with the No. 15-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Sunday at noon at the Jesse Owens West Tennis Center.
#10 LSU vs. #44 Michigan
Varsity Tennis Courts
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Singles
#66 Ken Skupski (LSU) def. #58 Matko Maravic (UM) 1-0 (Retired)
Mark Growcott (LSU) def. Brian Hung (UM) 5-7, 6-3, 10-8
Colt Gaston (LSU) def. #62 Ryan Heller (UM) 7-6 (4), 6-3
Andrew Mazlin (UM) def. Danny Bryan (LSU) 6-1, 6-2
Steve Peretz (UM) def. Paul White (LSU) 7-5, 6-3
James Cluskey (LSU) def. Peter Aarts (UM) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
#10 Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Hung/Maravic (UM) 8-4
#24 Bryan/Gaston (LSU) def. Heller/Mazlin (UM) 8-5
Bruckmann/Peretz def. Cluskey/White (LSU) (UM) 8-7 (6)
LSU 5-0
Michigan 4-2