AUBURN, Ala. — The LSU men’s tennis team had its six match SEC winning streak snapped Sunday during a 4-3 loss to 55th-ranked Auburn.
“Their team was hungry and we didn’t have a great day,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “We were a little bit lackadaisical and they played like their lives depended on it. Any time that happens in this league you can lose.”
LSU (15-7, 7-3 SEC) managed to take the early lead by doing what they do best, winning the doubles point.
On court one LSU’s Ken Skupski and Mark Growcott picked up their 10th consecutive win, besting Robert Lathouwers and Lukas Marsoun 8-4.
The No. 25-ranked pair of Colt Gaston and Danny Bryan clinched the doubles point for LSU on court two, also winning by an 8-4 margin.
Auburn did manage to snag one doubles match from LSU. The Plainsmen’s Pawel Dilaj and Milan Krnjetin beat James Cluskey and Paul White 8-6
It was in singles that the Alabama based Tigers were able to come back and eventually claim the match. Auburn was able to sweep the top three singles courts and shutdown the heart of LSU’s singles lineup.
Skupski, who ranks 21st in the nation in singles, had his five match winning streaked snapped, losing 6-3, 6-3 to Lathouwers at the No. 1 singles spot.
Gaston went down next in a 7-5, 6-1 straight set loss to Nick Lane. Bryan, who had been a rock for the Tigers since moving to the No. 3 singles spot, had his six match-winning streak broken by Krnjetin 7-6, 6-3.
Despite wins by Martel Campbell on court No. 6 and Growcott on court four, LSU was simply unable to pull out the win. Auburn clinched with a three set win by Marsoun over Cluskey on court five.
“We’re didn’t play well today in spots where we normally do,” said Brown. “We still have a lot to play for and we’ll be ready for our next match.”
LSU will need to regroup for their trip to Fayetteville Saturday. The Tigers will face the 20th-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks with the SEC West title hanging in the balance.
#55 Auburn 4, #16 LSU 3
Singles
1. Robert Lathouwers (AUB) def. #21 Ken Skupski (LSU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Nick Lane (AUB) def. #100 Colt Gaston (LSU) 7-5, 6-1
3. Milan Krnjetin (AUB) def. Danny Bryan (LSU) 7-6, 6-3
4. Mark Growcott (LSU) def. Pawel Dilaj (AUB) 7-5, 6-4
5. Lukas Marsoun (AUB) def. James Cluskey (LSU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2
6. Martel Campbell (LSU) def. Terence Nugent (AUB) 6-4, 6-1
Doubles
1. #9 Skupski/Growcott (LSU) def. Lathouwers/Lane (AUB) 8-4
2. #25 Bryan/Gaston (LSU) def. Lane/Nugent (AUB) 8-4
3. Dilaj/Krnjetin (AUB) def. Cluskey/White (LSU) 8-6