FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The LSU men’s tennis team solidified its chances of receiving an NCAA Tournament birth on Friday, as the Tigers earned a critical 4-3 victory over the 21st-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks at the UA Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Complex in Fayetteville, Ark.
“This was a big win for us today,” said LSU head coach Jeff Brown. “This was our third win over a team going to the NCAA Tournament and I’m proud of how this team has bounced back after a slow start. They have been learning from all of the struggles and all of the tough losses, but now we’re playing our best tennis of the season.”
With the overall score of the match knotted at 3-3, LSU’s Peter Richman clinched the Tigers’ second Southeastern Conference victory of the season by outlasting Arkansas’ Nathan Price in a three-set marathon. In the rain-delayed match that began outdoors and finished indoors, Richman turned in a clutch performance to knock off Nathan Price, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
LSU (6-12, 2-9) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in Friday’s SEC Western Division battle as the Tigers won the all-important doubles point. LSU’s combination of Dan Kiernan and Jason Hazley earned an 8-5 victory on court No. 1, while the Tigers’ No. 3-doubles pair of Brandon Nicholson and Bryan Fisher overpowered the Hogs’ duo comprised of Tiago Azevedo and Price, 8-4.
“When you play in the SEC, your record really doesn’t mean anything, because all-12 teams are ranked in the top-50,” Brown said. “Our team has really gelled lately and this win was evidence of the higher level of tennis that we are playing now. Despite a slow start, our team has really been improving and we are even capable of playing better.
Arkansas (13-8, 3-8) bounced back in singles play to earn wins on courts No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6. The Razorbacks’ senior, Magnus Kullenberg, returned to the starting lineup after a month-long injury to compete on “Senior Day” and defeated LSU’s Sebastian Rutka, 6-4, 6-4, on court No. 3.
The Tigers’ 89th-ranked Dan Kiernan continued to prove that he is one of the nation’s top players on Friday, as the native of Newcastle, England, dropped Arkansas’ 32nd-ranked Oggie Kolev, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, on court No. 1. With the win, Kiernan upped his overall record on the season to 17-14 and accumulated his seventh victory over a top-50 ranked opponent.
LSU’s Jason Hazley breezed by the Razorbacks’ Aleksay Bubis in straight sets on court No. 4 to give the Tigers their first singles victory of the match.
Hazley, a freshman from Bradenton, Fla., improved his overall record on the season to 21-17 with the win.
The LSU men’s tennis team will next be in action on Tuesday, April 16, as the Tigers host both UL-Monroe and Southern in a regular season ending doubleheader at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium beginning at 2 p.m.
LSU 4, #21 Arkansas 3
Doubles
1. Kierman/Hazley (LSU) def. Kolev/Kullenberg (UA), 8-5
2. Bubis/Pacheco (UA) def. Ross/Rutka (LSU), 8-5
3. Nicholson/Fisher (LSU) def. Price/Azevedo (UA), 8-4
Singles
1. #89 Daniel Kierman (LSU) def. #32 Oggie Kolev (UA), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
2. Peter Richman (LSU) def. Nathan Price (UA), 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
3. Magnus Kullenberg (UA) def. Sebastian Rutka (LSU), 6-4, 6-4
4. Jason Hazley (LSU) def. Aleksey Bubis (UA), 6-0, 6-1
5. Eduardo Pacheco (UA) def. Bryan Fisher (LSU), 6-2, 6-1
6. Kristofer Ivarsson (UA) def. Cory Ross (LSU), 6-4, 7-6(4)
Overall Records: LSU 7-12 (2-9), Arkansas 13-8 (3-8)