SEATTLE — The LSU men’s tennis team picked up a second win at the ITA National Indoor Championships Sunday, besting SEC rival Arkansas 4-1.
The match was the last of the National Team Indoor Championships for the No. 15-ranked Tigers, who move to 7-2 with the win. For a second straight year they leave with a 2-1 record in the tournament after losing to seventh-ranked UCLA and defeating Colorado in the first two days of competition.
“Today was a complete team victory,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “We needed everyone on the doubles court and the singles court to do what they had to do to get the win.”
The Tigers won the doubles point Sunday, something that the team has done in each of its six wins this season.
On the No. 2 doubles court Colt Gaston and Danny Bryan defeated the Arkansas tandem of Adrian Zguns and Blake Strode, 8-1.
Senior Paul White and freshman James Cluskey won 8-3 on the No. 3 doubles court to wrap up the doubles point and give LSU the early advantage.
The Tigers didn’t waste much time on the singles court. Each of LSU’s singles wins was picked up in straight sets.
Mark Growcott picked up a second straight singles win, blowing past No. 23-ranked Matt Roberts 6-1, 6-3 on court two and put the Tigers up 2-0.
After Ken Skupski was upset on court one by Zguns, Danny Bryan picked up a win over the Razorbacks Colin Mascall 6-1, 7-6 (6).
Cluskey continued his to show consistency beyond his age. The Dublin, Ireland native downed Jimmy Khougassian 6-2, 7-5, upping his singles record to 5-1 and sealing the win for his team.
With the win in hand play was suspended on the remaining courts. White was down a set to 19th-ranked Blake Strode on court four. Gaston was even with Rohan Gojarr at the start of set three on the No. 3 court.
After five road matches, including three in the National Indoors this weekend, LSU will return home this Thursday to face No. 26 Clemson at W. T. Robinson Tennis Stadium.
“We’ll have a day off and then we’ve got to get our minds refocused and be ready for another tough opponent Thursday,” said Brown.
ITA National Team Indoor Championships
Settle Tennis Club
February 19, 2006
Singles
1. Adrian Zguns def. (66) Ken Skupski 6-2, 7-5
2. Mark Growcott def. (24) Matt Roberts 6-3, 6-1
3. Colt Gaston vs. (100) Rohan Gojarr 7-6 (6), 2-6, 0-0 unfinished
4. Paul White vs. (19) Blake Strode 6-7 (3), 5-5 unfinished
5. Danny Bryan def. Colin Mascall 6-1, 7-6 (6)
6. James Cluskey def. Jimmy Khougassian 6-2, 7-5
Doubles
1. Skupski/Growcott vs. Roberts/Gajjar 5-6 unfinished
2. Bryan/Gaston def. Strode/Zguns 8-1
3. Cluskey/White def. King/Mascall 8-3