BATON ROUGE — The LSU men’s tennis team celebrated senior day in grand style Sunday as it overpowered Mississippi State 7-0 and claimed its fifth straight SEC win.
“Today was another complete match, just like the one Friday,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “Even the guys who were down early battled back and played hard. We just need to keep competing like that down the stretch.”
The win lifts the Tigers record to 13-6 (6-2 SEC), while Mississippi State drops to 4-10 (1-7 SEC).
LSU once again swept the doubles matches. The Tigers’ No. 2 pair of Danny Bryan and Colt Gaston looked sharp, dispatching the Bulldog’s Florent Girod and Pierre Mouillon 8-1.
No. 12-ranked Ken Skupski and Mark Growcott clinched the doubles point with an 8-4 win on court one.
Senior Paul White and freshman James Cluskey came close to a second straight loss. The No. 3 doubles duo managed to put away Josh Irey and Ryan Farlow 8-7 (3).
Following the doubles matches, LSU seniors Paul White and Mark Growcott were recognized for their career achievements during a senior day presentation.
LSU’s doubles success carried over into singles play. The Tigers were able to pick up two straight set wins and a take a commanding 3-0 lead.
Sophomore Martel Campbell continued to look promising at the No. 6 singles position. Campbell was off the court first following a quick 6-1, 6-3 win over Farlow.
On court five, Cluskey bounced back from a tough loss Friday, showing the form that he has had for much of the season in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Philippe Frayssinoux, 6-3, 6-4.
Playing his last SEC home match, Growcott battled back after dropping the first set. In the end Gaston overmatched Girod for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win and picked up the clincher for the Tigers.
Just moments later, Bryan finished off Josh Pinto on court three. The LSU captain proved that he was king of the tiebreaker once again, topping Pinto 12-10 in a marathon tiebreaker to end the first set. It was Bryan’s fourth tiebreak win in the past four matches.
Skupski and Gaston sowed up the sweep on courts one and two. Skupski shook off a second set loss to beat Ivan Bjelica 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. It was the fourth straight win for the Tigers’ No. 1 singles player and the tenth win in his past 12 matches.
Gaston looked to be in trouble after the first set, which he lost to Mouillon 4-6. The Tiger sophomore came back to take the next two sets 6-3, 6-4.
LSU will play its final regular season home match Wednesday at 3 p.m., hosting UL-Lafayette in a make up match. The two teams met on March 20, but rain forced the contest be postponed during the singles play.
#19 LSU 4, #57 Mississippi State 3
Singles
1. Ken Skupski (LSU) def. Ivan Bjelica (MSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Colt Gaston (LSU) def. Pierre Mouillon (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Danny Bryan (LSU) def. Josh Pinto 7(MSU) -6 (10), 6-2
4. Mark Growcott (LSU) def. Florent Girod (MSU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
5. James Cluskey (LSU) def. Phillipe Frayssinoux (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Martel Campbell (LSU) def. Ryan Farlow (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Pinto/Bjelica (MSU) 8-4
2. Bryan/Gaston (LSU) def. Girod/Mouillon (MSU) 8-1
3. Cluskey/White (LSU) def. Farlow/Irey (MSU) 8-7 (3)