No. 7 LSU Overpowers Nicholls, 4-0, and UL-Lafayette, 6-1
YOUNGSVILLE, La. – No. 7 LSU delivered a dominant performance in Thursday’s doubleheader at the Youngsville Sports Complex. Calin Stirbu clinched the 4-0 sweep over Nicholls, posting a 6-0, 6-2 scoreline, followed by Enzo Kohlmann’s 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 clinch over UL-Lafayette, where the Tigers would finish 6-1.
LSU improves to 12-2 on the season, while Nicholls drops to 4-2 and UL-Lafayette falls to 5-4.
“I was happy to see the guys play well in the first match,” said head coach Danny Bryan regarding the sweep over Nicholls. “We played good tennis and took care of business. Then, against UL-Lafayette, I was pleased to see Andrej [Loncarevic] and Sasa [Markovic] come back in their match to get the doubles point – that was huge. We played well in singles, especially with Enzo turning it around in the third set to clinch for us. Also, it was great to see Calin fight back, down a match point in the tiebreak, to come out on top.
Today was good preparation for a tough Ole Miss team we will face on Sunday. We look forward to seeing the fans pack The ‘Plex.”
Match One
Stirbu and Kohlmann paired up for the first time this season, matched up against Felipe Spagnuolo and Mateo de los Santos on court two. The match opened level at 1-1, with both teams settling in to take their first service games. The Tigers quickly tipped the scale, stealing their first break of the set to extend their lead to 3-1. The Colonels were unable to overcome their early deficit, digging a deeper hole. Stirbu and Kohlmann wrapped up the set on a five-game run, claiming a 6-1 win in their debut appearance together.
A constant at the top spot, Markovic and Loncarevic, had a tight battle with Colin Tavares and Marcell Marki. Both teams found their rhythm early, landing at a 2-2 stalemate. They continued to trade games for most of the set, neither team able to create a gap. Level at 4-4, Markovic and Loncarevic claimed their first break of the match – the only one they needed to serve out the set, 6-4. LSU earned the doubles point, leading Nicholls 1-0.
Coming off a dominant performance against his former team in Alabama, Matias Ponce de Leon looked to continue the surge over Marki, making his highest appearance of the season at the third spot. The match began with both players getting on the board in their opening service games. After that, Ponce de Leon ran up the score, taking the next five games to close the opening set, 6-1. The senior continued to display dominance in the second set, this time not letting Marki get a game off. Ponce de Leon posted a perfect 6-0 score in the second set to wrap the match. The Spaniard put LSU up over Nicholls, 2-0.
With his first appearance on the top court, No. 102 Loncarevic now has logged a match on each of the top four courts this season. Currently on a two-match win streak, the second-year Tiger entered with momentum against Tavares. Logging a break in the second game of the opening set, he quickly took a 3-0 advantage. He continued to roll, claiming three of the next four games to post a 6-1 scoreline in the first set. The next frame was all business for the sophomore, dominating from the jump. Tavares had no chance to gain any footing as Loncarevic shut him out 6-0 to close the match. LSU took a 3-0 lead over Nicholls.
Making his second appearance of the season today, Stirbu matched up with Mitchell Spence on court six. Searching for his first win of the season, he took command early with a 3-0 lead. Without losing the tempo, Stirbu continued to overwhelm his opponent until the set reached its finish at a flawless 6-0. Spence was able to finally get on the board in the opening stages of the second set, tying it at 1-1. However, it wasn’t long before Stirbu reclaimed the advantage, logging the next three games to land at 4-1. Although Spence was able to slide another game past, the early cushion held firm as Stirbu shut the door at 6-2. With his first win of the season, he clinched the match for LSU, 4-0 over Nicholls.
Match Two
Olaf Pieczkowski and Alessio Vasquez took the court as a pair for the first time today, facing off against David Simeonov and Samuel Kyjaci at the No. 2 spot. Pieczkowski entered with four wins on the season, while Vazquez was still searching for his first since returning to the lineup. After dropping the first game of the set, the pair settled and never looked back. Their first break put them up 3-1, and the Cajuns were unable to recover. Pieczkowski and Vasquez took it to the house, capping off their six-game run with a 6-1 victory over an in-state foe.
Rudy Ceccon and Ponce de Leon logged a win in their lone appearance together this season. Today, they faced off against Darius Balan and Gianluca Filoramo. The match began tightly, with the Cajuns holding a single-game advantage due to them opening the match on their serve. Down 3-2, the Tigers let a game slip that would widen the gap to three for Balan and Filoramo. The Cajuns seized their opportunity to serve it out, completing their four-game stretch to wrap the set, 6-2.
In the deciding set for the doubles point, Markovic and Loncarevic landed at the No. 1 spot once more, this time battling Mason Landreth and Leonardo Tramolay. The Tigers played steady tennis in the first few games, holding serves and keeping the set level. However, down 3-2, the Cajuns earned their first break of the match, consequently putting them ahead 5-2 following another service hold. With a three-game deficit to come back from, Markovic and Loncarevic rallied. Their run began with a hold of their own, followed by a clutch break that eventually landed them back on serve at 5-5. After splitting the next two games, the set entered a decisive tiebreak. The score remained level, 3-3, at the first switch. From that point, the sophomore duo would go on a four-point stretch to conclude the set and earn the doubles point for LSU, winning 7-6 (3). LSU led UL-Lafayette, 1-0.
Markovic looked to remain undefeated at the fourth spot in today’s duel with Simeonov. It was a tight contest, each player trading blows for much of the opening set. At four games apiece, Markovic made his move and separated himself, logging the final two games – including a break – to take the first set, 6-4. Simeonov would not go away easily, however, with the next set following the same pattern. Neither player could forge ahead, pushing this set to the limits as well. Once more, Markovic created separation at 4-4 with a break, setting himself up to serve for the match and take it, 6-4. His tenth win of the season put the Tigers up 2-0 over the Cajuns.
No. 102 Loncarevic remained on the top court to face off against Landreth. After suffering an early 3-0 setback, he responded quickly to turn the set around and bring it even at 3-3. From here, he took full control, rattling off another three straight games – capping off a six-game run – to close the opening set, 6-3. Flipping the script for the opening games of the first set, Loncarevic’s momentum brought him ahead 3-0. Although Landreth was able to get two games off, it wasn’t enough to break his stride. He stayed composed down the stretch, reestablishing control and taking the next four games to close the match with a 6-2 second set. LSU went ahead 3-0 over UL-Lafayette while Loncarevic extended his win streak to four.
Kohlmann got back on track today with a win on the second court over Tramolay. He navigated a tense opening set that remained on serve for much of the early stages. Level at 4-4, he pulled ahead with a break to seize control, then held his serve to take the set, 6-4. Tramolay responded in the second set, creating an early gap that proved too much to overcome for Kohlmann, where he only logged one game en route to a 6-1 scoreline. In a deciding third, Kohlmann was able to regain his footing, firing out to a 3-0 advantage. Dictating the play the rest of the way, he secured the match with a 6-2 finish. Kohlmann earned his way back into the win column, as well as clinching the match for the Tigers at 4-0.
Vasquez moved up to court three to face off with Kyjaci. He worked through a competitive opening set, staying level through the early exchanges until 3-3. Here, he separated himself, notching consecutive games that put him on his way to close the opening set, 6-4. The following set began similarly, with Vasquez holding a narrow edge. However, Kyjaci wouldn’t go away. This time around, he stole a break that set him up to serve out the set, 6-4, ultimately forcing a decider. Vasquez recovered with authority, racing out to a 3-0 lead to start. The hole was too much for Kyjaci to dig himself out of, and Vasquez remained in control to cruise to a 6-2 final set. He improved the score to 5-0 in favor of the Tigers, while also earning his second win of the season.
In his second appearance at the fifth spot this season, Ceccon came out sharp on the first set against Balan. After gaining the edge early at 2-1, he continued to take control and rushed to a 4-1 margin before closing out dominantly, 6-1. Balan was able to fight back in the second set, maintaining the upper hand by a single game for most of the duration. A decisive four-game run would conclude the set at 6-2, forcing the two to enter a deciding third set. Both players upped their level in a back-and-forth battle, neither able to break away from constant stalemates until it was sent into a tiebreak at 6-6. Momentum swung back and forth with the score level each time the players switched sides. The breaker was forced past seven, and it was then that Balan strung together the points he needed to put it away at 9-7 in the tiebreak. He earned the first and only point for UL-Lafayette, with LSU leading 5-1.
On the last court, Stirbu established control early over Filoramo with a narrow edge through the opening games. After landing at 3-2, he put together a run without dropping another game to strongly secure the first set with a 6-2 win. However, Filoramo was able to respond in the second. He applied pressure midway through the set at 3-3, causing Stirbu to surrender the final three games and push it to the final set. The last set was a battle of outlasting the opponent, both players pushing it to the limit. After falling 2-0 to begin, Stirbu came back in the set that would eventually make its way to a deciding tiebreak. The sophomore led 4-2 at the switch before falling behind at 7-6 with the match on the line. Here, he not only saved a match point but put it away with a string of three consecutive points, winning 9-7. He put the Tigers up 6-1 over the Cajuns to seal the match for the day.
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Nicholls vs LSU
02/26/2026 at Youngsville, La.
Youngsville Sports Complex
#7 LSU 4, Nicholls 0
Singles competition
1. #102 Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Colin Tavares (NICM) 6-1, 6-0
2. Enzo Kohlmann (LSU) vs. Marcell Marki (NICM) 6-2, 2-0, unfinished
3. Matias Ponce De Leon (LSU) def. Felipe Spagnuolo (NICM) 6-1, 6-0
4. Sasa Markovic (LSU) vs. Arthur Oliani (NICM) 6-3, 4-0, unfinished
5. Rudy Ceccon (LSU) vs. Mitchell Armbruster (NICM) 6-1, 4-2, unfinished
6. Calin Stirbu (LSU) def. Mitchell Spence (NICM) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Sasa Markovic/Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Colin Tavares/Marcell Marki (NICM) 6-4
2. Calin Stirbu/Enzo Kohlmann (LSU) def. Felipe Spagnuolo/Mateo De Los Santos (NICM) 6-1
3. Alessio Vasquez/Rudy Ceccon (LSU) vs. Arthur Oliani/Mitchell Armbruster (NICM) 5-3, unfinished
Match Notes:
Nicholls 4-2
LSU 11-2; National ranking #7
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,1,6)
T-2:15 A-237
Tennis Match Results
02/26/2026 at Youngsville, La.
Youngsville Sports Complex
#7 LSU 6, Louisiana 1
Singles competition
1. #102 Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Mason Landreth (UL) 6-3, 6-2
2. Enzo Kohlmann (LSU) def. Leonard Tramolay (UL) 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
3. Alessio Vasquez (LSU) def. Samuel Kyjaci (UL) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
4. Sasa Markovic (LSU) def. David Simeonov (UL) 6-4, 6-4
5. Darius Balan (UL) def. Rudy Ceccon (LSU) 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
6. Calin Stirbu (LSU) def. Gianluca Filoramo (UL) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7)
Doubles competition
1. Sasa Markovic/Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Mason Landreth/Leonard Tramolay (UL) 7-6 (7-3)
2. Olaf Pieczkowski/Alessio Vasquez (LSU) def. David Simeonov/Samuel Kyjaci (UL) 6-1
3. Darius Balan/Gianluca Filoramo (UL) def. Rudy Ceccon/Matias Ponce De Leon (LSU) 6-2
Match Notes:
LSU 12-2; National ranking #7
Louisiana 5-4
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,1,2,3,5,6)