TULSA, Okla. — The 16th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team overcame No. 20 Texas Tech after a heated match on Saturday with a final mark of 4-3 at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Kick-Off weekend hosted by the University of Tulsa.
“It’s good to see when our team is in a difficult situation they continue to fight and find a way to win,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said.
LSU swept doubles play in each of its three matches, including an 8-4 upset by LSU duo Neal Skupski and Michael Venus over the No. 7 nationally ranked doubles team, Raony Carvalho and Christan Rojmar.
Skupski was first off the courts in singles posting a 6-3, 6-4 mark over Rojmar to set the tone for the Tigers.
Venus took victory in a three-set match on court No. 1 with a win over No. 19 Raony Carvalho, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, to bring LSU one match away from clinching a win.
With the match hinging on senior James Cluskey at court three, the Dublin, Ireland native fell behind after his first set to Gonzalo Escobar, 6-4. After losing the first set to Escobar, Cluskey turned the tide. Although down 3-1 early in the second set, Cluskey gained momentum to come back and take the set, 6-3.
The 6-6 senior Tiger brought the match into a third and final set to clinch victory for LSU as he posted a 6-2 mark, pushing LSU to a 3-0 all-time record against Texas Tech.
LSU faces tournament host No. 12 Tulsa in day two of the ITA Kick-Off Weekend after Tulsa advanced over Notre Dame on Saturday, 4-2. The Tigers and the Hurricane will square off with matches beginning at noon at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Jan. 31- Feb. 1
Tulsa, Okla.
All Times Central
Jan. 31
Singles
#2 Michael Venus (LSU) def. #19 Raony Carvalho (TTU), 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Sinisa Markovic (TTU) def. Jonathan Tragardh (LSU), 6-2, 6-3
James Cluskey (LSU) def. Gonzalo Escobar (TTU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
Neal Skupski (LSU) def. Christian Rojmar (TTU), 6-3, 6-4
Michael Breler (TTU) def. Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) 6-3, 6-1
Milos Kustudija (TTU) def. Mark Bowtell (LSU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
Neal Skupki/Michael Venus (LSU) def. #7 Carvalho/Rojmar (TTU), 8-4
Mark Bowtell/James Cluskey (LSU) def. Michael Breler/Sinisa Markovic (TTU), 9-7
Sebastian Carlsson/Jonathan Tragardh (LSU) def. Gonzalo Escobar/David Gonzales (TTU), 9-8 (2)