TULSA, Okla. — The No. 16 LSU men’s tennis team fell to 12th-ranked Tulsa by an overall 4-2 mark on Sunday as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Kick-Off Weekend closed at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.
“Everyone showed good form and it was an extremely physical and emotional day,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said. “We did a good job of playing at the level we did and are truly encouraged by this weekend.”
After losing the first doubles match with LSU’s Sebastian Carlsson and Jonathan Tragardh falling to Tulsa’s Alberto Scottocorno and Ashley Watling 8-3, the Tigers captured courts two and three to give LSU (1-1) the doubles point.
LSU duo Michael Venus and Neal Skupski defeated their second top-10 nationally-ranked doubles opponent of the weekend after posting an 8-6 victory over the No. 4 tandem of Arnau Brugues and Philip Stephens.
The Irish Tiger tandem of Mark Bowtell and James Cluskey posted their second victory of the dual season as well, overcoming Marko Ballock and Ross Cunningham, 9-7, to clinch the doubles point and give LSU a 1-0 lead.
Tulsa (5-1) answered LSU’s doubles point by capturing courts one, two and three in singles to take a 3-1 overall lead.
LSU freshman Skupski highlighted the singles portion in addition to his solid doubles performance with partner Venus. Skupski earned a win on court 4 as he defeated Sottocorno in a heated match, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0).
The match’s outcome hung in the balance on court six, where Bowtell battled with Tulsa’s Cunningham. Cunningham posted a first-set victory with a 6-4 mark and Bowtell answered with a 7-5 second-set win to push the match into a third set. The LSU freshmen fell by a hard-fought 6-3 mark, giving the Hurricane a 4-2 victory.
As Bowtell fell, Carlsson was one game away from evening the score at 3-all. Carlsson led Watling 4-6, 6-4, 5-4.
LSU is next slated to take on Rice, currently No. 17 in the ITA rankings, in its first home match of the season. The Tigers and Owls will square off Feb. 7 in a 1 p.m. match in W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
ITA Kick-Off Weekend
Jan. 31- Feb. 1
Tulsa, Okla.
All Times Central
Singles
#10 Arnau Brugues (TLS) def. #2 Michael Venus (LSU), 6-1, 6-1
Victor Kolik (TLS) def. Jonathan Tragardh (LSU), 7-5, 6-4
#91 Philip Stephens (TLS) def. James Cluskey (LSU), 6-3, 6-3
Neal Skupski (LSU) def. Alberto Sottocorno (TLS), 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0)
Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) def. Ashley Watling (TLS), 4-6, 6-4, 5-4 unfinished
Ross Cunningham (TLS) def. Mark Bowtell (LSU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Doubles
Neal Skupski/Michael Venus (LSU) def. #4 Arnau Brugues/Philip Stephens (TLS), 8-6
Mark Bowtell/James Cluskey (LSU) def. Marko Ballock/Ross Cunningham (TLS), 9-7
Alberto Sottocorno/Ashley Watling (TLS) def. Sebastian Carlsson/Jonathan Tragardh (LSU), 8-3
Feb. 7
#16 LSU vs. # 17 Rice, 1 p.m.