COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 34th-ranked LSU men’s tennis team rolled to a 5-1 mark to upset 17th-ranked South Carolina on Sunday at the Sam Daniels Tennis Center.
LSU (7-9, 2-6 SEC) had a strong doubles performance to give the Tigers the early momentum with LSU taking two of three matches. South Carolina’s Pedro Campos and Ivan Cressoni were first of the courts, claiming the first match against LSU’s Sebastian Carlsson and Julien Gauthier, 8-3. On court three, senior LSU duo James Cluskey and Jonathan Tragardh led Jamie Cuellar and Johannes Pulsfort. The Tiger tandem decided the match with an 8-5 mark to give LSU its first victory of the match.
The doubles decision rested on court one where two nationally-ranked opponents squared off as eighth-ranked LSU duo Michael Venus and Neal Skupski faced South Carolina’s 27th-ranked Diego Cubas and Ivan Machado. With a close 8-6 mark, the Tiger tandem edged out Cubas and Machado to secure the early point for LSU.
“We found a way to win in doubles, even though we didn’t play to our highest ability,” LSU head coach Jeff Brown said.
Several stellar singles performances lifted the Tigers to the final 5-1 mark over the Gamecocks.
Venus, Skupski and Cluskey notched a second victory on the day as each won his respective singles match. After the clinch, Carlsson also claimed a victory and freshman Mark Bowtell‘s match on court six was suspended due to rain.
“Everyone played within themselves and winning two tiebreakers helped us maintain momentum,” Brown said. “We kept our focus overall and we know we are capable of winning, so this is good for our confidence.”
Venus and Cubas faced each other once again in the premier singles match on court one. Sixth-ranked Venus cruised to a straight-set victory over 52nd-ranked Cubas, 7-6, 6-3, to give LSU a 2-0 overall mark and take the first singles victory for the Tigers. The win extends Venus’ streak to six-straight matches.
Cluskey was the next to step off the courts with a win for the Tigers as he soared to a straight-set victory over Campos, 6-4, 6-4. The win put the Tigers in a prime position to take the match as LSU hovered at 3-1 over South Carolina.
LSU freshman Skupski dealt the final blow to the 17th-ranked team as he took down Machado on court four, 7-6, 6-4, to win his fifth-straight match and clinch the upset.
Carlsson was the last to garner a win as he rose to a three-set victory over Jamie Cuellar on court three, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
The victory marks LSU’s last conference match on the road as the Tigers return home for their last three SEC matches, beginning with No. 2 Ole Miss in match slated for 1 p.m. on Friday.
#34 LSU 5, #17 South Carolina 1
Sam Daniels Tennis Center
April 4, 2009
Match Results
Singles
1. #6 Michael Venus (LSU) def. #52 Diego Cubas (SC) 7-6 (5), 6-3
2. James Cluskey (LSU) def. Pedro Campos (SC) 6-4, 6-4
3. Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) def. Jaime Cuellar (SC) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
4. Neal Skupski (LSU) def. Ivan Machado (SC) 7-6 (9), 6-4
5. Johannes Pulsfort (SC) def. Julien Gauthier (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
6. #123 Ivan Cressoni (SC) led Mark Bowtell 3-6, 6-1, 4-2 suspended
Doubles
1. #8 Michael Venus/Neal Skupski (LSU) def. #28 Diego Cubas/Ivan Machado (SC) 8-6
2. Pedro Campos/Ivan Cressoni (SC) def. Sebastian Carlsson/Julien Gauthier (LSU) 8-3
3. James Cluskey/Jonathon Tragardh (LSU) def. Jaime Cuellar/Johannes Pulsfort (SC) 8-5
Singles: (Order of Finish: 1, 5, 2, 4, 3)
Doubles: (Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1)