No. 6 LSU Posts a 4-0 Sweep Over Tennessee; Overpowers Southern Miss, 6-1
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 117 Andrej Loncarevic delivered the clinch for the Tigers, defeating Dragos Cazacu 6-3, 6-4, to secure LSU’s first win over Tennessee in ten years, downing them 4-0. Later in the day, Alessio Vasquez took down Jose Murariu 6-3, 7-5, clinching the match for LSU in a 6-1 win over Southern Miss at the LSU Tennis Complex.
LSU improves to 17-2 on the season, 4-1 in the SEC, while Tennessee falls to 7-10, 0-6 in the SEC. Southern Miss moves to 5-5.
“I was proud of how the guys came out and competed today after an emotional win on Friday night,” said head coach Danny Bryan. “I was a little bit worried about them being tired or starting slow, but we did a pretty good job in doubles and were lights out in singles, playing great across the board. We did a good job closing the matches out, and I’m very proud of the effort.
A huge weekend with two very tough home matches against Oklahoma and Texas A&M is coming up. I hope we can create a great environment, and people can come out and support these guys who are playing hard and playing well. I really hope we can get a great crowd to cheer them on.”
Match One
No. 66 Sasa Markovic and Loncarevic entered the top court, matched up with Dragos Cazacu and Jose Garcia. Each team settled into the match with strong service games, finding their rhythm as they approached an even 3-3. Here, Markovic and Loncarevic leveled up, taking the next game with momentum that carried into stealing the first break of the match to take a 5-3 advantage. The pair succeeded in serving for the match, posting a 6-3 result and improving their season mark to 9-2.
Also looking to extend to five wins in a row, No. 59 Erik Arutiunian and Matias Ponce de Leon traded early blows with Shion Itsusaki and Ethan Muza at the second spot. At a 2-2 stalemate, the Tigers won consecutive games, highlighted by the match’s first break to take a 4-2 lead. However, the Vols fired right back with a break of their own to tie it back up at four games apiece. From there, both teams battled through tense service games, LSU going for the clinch and Tennessee doing everything they could to avoid it. With neither able to forge ahead, the match was forced into a deciding tiebreak. Momentum remained steady at the switch when the score approached 3-3, but the Vols notched back-to-back points to take a convincing 5-3 lead. Arutiunian and Ponce de Leon, utilizing the crowd’s energy, strung together the next four points to conclude the match, 7-6(5) and clinch the doubles point for the Tigers. LSU headed into singles with a 1-0 lead over Tennessee.
Olaf Pieczkowski entered the No. 1 court seeking to continue the surge from Friday’s match against Texas. This time, he faced off with his second straight ranked opponent in No. 78 Garcia. Pieczkowski got off to a hot start, putting his opponent on his heels from the jump with an early break to go ahead 3-1. From there, solid service games guided him comfortably through the remainder of the set before he notched another break in the final game to close it, 6-3. The second set had a similar script, with Pieczkowski applying pressure from the start, causing Garcia to surrender another early service game at 3-1. The Polish native eliminated all hope for Garcia and never looked back, winning three of the next four games to complete the straight set victory with a 6-2 second set. This win pushes Pieczkowski’s win streak to five, including back-to-back over ranked opponents. LSU took a 2-0 lead over Tennessee.
Ponce de Leon took the sixth spot, squaring off with Itsusaki. The opening set stayed tight through the early games, with neither player able to create much separation as the score moved level to 3-3. Ponce de Leon began to assert himself, holding for a 4-3 edge before delivering a break that would prove decisive to move ahead 5-3. Firmly in control, he served out the set to take it, 6-3. He carried the energy into the second set, opening with a hold then stealing a break at his first opportunity to take a 2-0 lead. Ponce de Leon kept the advantage through the middle stages and struck again with another break to build a three-game cushion at 4-1. In full command the rest of the way, Ponce de Leon closed the door at 6-2, earning his way back into the win column for the Tigers as they forged ahead of the Volunteers, 3-0.
Aiming to keep the Tigers’ momentum rolling, No. 117 Loncarevic shared the third court with Cazacu. Loncarevic wasted no time taking control, quickly storming out to a 3-0 lead. From there, he defined his play by strong service games, firmly maintaining separation in the match. Though Cazacu was within striking distance, Loncarevic steadily closed out the opener, 6-3. The tides turned early in the second set as Cazacu logged the first break to take a 2-0 advantage. However, Loncarevic responded with authority as he embarked on a five-game stretch to put himself a game away from the end at 5-2. Cazacu slipped one more by, but it wasn’t enough to throw off Loncarevic as he completed the straight-sets victory with a 6-3 second set. He completed the 4-0 sweep for LSU over Tennessee, claiming the program’s first win over the Volunteers since 2016.
Match Two
Ponce de Leon partnered up with Enzo Kohlmann for the first time this season today on court two, matched up with Saheb Sodhi and Eric Perkowski of Southern Miss. Both teams found their rhythm, holding their serves with ease for much of the opening stages. The Tigers took the next step at 3-3, when they carried energy from a big hold to claim their first break of the match, pushing the score to 5-3. Ponce de Leon and Kohlmann confidently put away the match, 6-3, earning a win in their debut appearance together.
Another duo taking the court for the first time was Calin Stirbu and Alessio Vasquez, as they entered a court three battle with Jose Marariu and Matei Varbanciu. The duel began tightly contested, leveling itself at both 1-1 and 2-2. Neither team forged ahead until the Tigers made their move, capturing the first break after a strong hold to advance to 4-2. With a firm cushion, Stirbu and Vasquez remained on fire, tallying the next two games to complete the four-game stretch. They clinched the doubles point for LSU, giving them the 1-0 lead over Southern Miss.
No. 54 Arutiunian returned to the top court in his match with Kale Mize. In all his matches today, he operated cool under pressure and stayed relaxed from the jump – this time, no different. After dropping the opening game, he overwhelmed Mize with a powerful string of five straight, sitting comfortably on the brink of putting the first set away. Mize put one more on the board, but it was not enough to stop Arutiunian from closing the set, 6-2. The following set didn’t change much, as the Belarus native imposed himself quickly en route to taking a 4-0 advantage. The only thing he needed to do from there was stay steady on his serves, and that’s exactly what he did. Splitting the next four games, Arutiunian earned his seventh straight win and fifth win on court one, winning in straight sets again with a 6-2 second set. LSU led Southern Miss, 2-0.
Searching for his first win at the No. 4 court, Kohlmann made his way back into the singles lineup today against Olle Noltorp. After settling in, the sophomore was the first to create separation as he got a break that would propel him to a 3-1 advantage. Noltorp stayed within reach but was unable to climb out of the early hole he suffered as Kohlmann put a wrap on the set, 6-3. The Brazilian native struck first once more in the next set, stealing a break after both players held their service games to take a 3-1 lead. The set appeared to be leveling itself out again as Noltorp logged a break of his own, but Kohlmann prevented any possibility of a comeback by putting up a four-game run to end the match in style with a 6-2 second set. LSU, up 3-0, was one point away from beating Southern Miss.
Vasquez and Murariu had a battle on court two that contained many swings in momentum. After being broken in the opening game, Vasquez immediately responded with a break of his own to level the set and reestablish himself. The two traded steady service games through the middle stretch before Vasquez found the separation he needed late. With the score sitting at 4-3, he applied pressure and earned a crucial break to move ahead, leading him to serve out the opening set, 6-3. The second set proved to be a tighter battle, with both players going through unsteady service games, but eventually reaching a level 4-4. After having a chance to serve for the match at 5-4, Vasquez was broken. Undeterred, he delivered a flawless final two games, closing out the set, 7-5, to clinch the match for the Tigers, 4-0. He improved his record to 4-1 and his win streak to three in just his sixth match back from injury.
The match played through, so Rudy Ceccon was able to continue his duel with Eric Perkowski at the fifth spot. Ceccon fell behind an early break but answered right back to level the opening set at 2-2. Now that they had found their flow, the two continued to exchange games until deep in the first set. Following a 5-5 stalemate, to avoid entering a set tiebreak, Ceccon broke free from the pattern. After edging ahead 6-5, he claimed the final game of the set to wrap it, 7-5. Looking to maintain control in the second set, the French native struck with a break at 2-1 and quickly backed it up with consecutive holds to take a commanding 4-1 lead. Despite a late effort by Perkowski, where he tallied back-to-back games, Ceccon composed himself to close the match with a 6-3 second set. He pushed LSU’s lead to 5-0 over Southern Miss.
One of the most tightly contested matches of the day took place on court No. 6 between Stirbu and Varbanciu. The first set contained even play from both parties, neither able to put together a run and forge ahead. Staying on serve throughout, a deciding tiebreak was forced. After trading points early, Varbanciu took the upper hand late, propelling him to a 7-6(6) decision to close the first set. Stirbu regrouped entering the second, quickly pulling ahead with a 3-0 lead. Varbanciu logged a single game before the Romanian native put on another three-game run to win the set, 6-1, and force a deciding ten-point tiebreak. Stirbu seized control early with a 4-2 advantage at the first switch. He then won four of the next five to take a convincing 8-3 lead, and finally put the match to bed with a 10-4 super-tiebreak scoreline. He earned LSU’s sixth win over Southern Miss.
In the last match of the day, Ponce de Leon had a tough battle on court three versus Sodhi. After taking a 3-1 edge to start, Ponce de Leon began to let his lead slip, as Sodhi climbed his way back in the match to bring it to a level 4-4. It remained tight the rest of the way, eventually entering a tiebreak. Momentum was with Sodhi as he ran away with the set, 7-6(3). In the following set, Ponce de Leon broke at 3-1, and once again was followed by a quick response from Sodhi. However, this time, Ponce de Leon struck on return to extend the margin to 5-3 before leveling the match with a 6-4 second set. In the deciding full third set, it was Sodhi this time who surged early, eventually landing at 5-2. Although Ponce de Leon grabbed a game and pressured on his next return, it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit as Sodhi closed the third set, 6-3. Southern Miss earned their only win of the match in a three-set victory, and LSU concluded its day with a 6-1 victory.
Up Next
LSU remains at home to take on No. 20 Oklahoma on Friday, March 13, at 5:30 p.m. CT. They will follow it up with their second dual of the season against the No. 18 Texas A&M Aggies on Sunday, March 15, at 12:00 p.m. CT. The Tigers will wrap next weekend’s play in a date with New Orleans at 4:00 p.m. CT to conclude the doubleheader. All matches will take place at the LSU Tennis Complex.
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Tennessee vs LSU
Mar 08, 2026 at Baton Rouge, La
LSU Tennis Complex
#6 LSU 4, #61 Tennessee 0
Singles competition
1. Olaf Pieczkowski (LSU) def. #78 Jose Garcia (TENN) 6-3, 6-2
2. #54 Erik Arutiunian (LSU) vs. #88 Alejandro Moreno (TENN) 7-5, 3-2, unfinished
3. #117 Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Dragos Cazacu (TENN) 6-3, 6-4
4. Alessio Vasquez (LSU) vs. Jan Kobierski (TENN) 6-4, 1-4, unfinished
5. Sasa Markovic (LSU) vs. Boruch Skierkier (TENN) 6-2, 5-3, unfinished
6. Matias Ponce De Leon (LSU) def. Shion Itsusaki (TENN) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. #66 Sasa Markovic/Andrej Loncarevic (LSU) def. Dragos Cazacu/Jose Garcia (TENN) 6-3
2. #59 Matias Ponce De Leon/Erik Arutiunian (LSU) def. Ethan Muza/Shion Itsusaki (TENN) 7-6 (7-5)
3. Enzo Kohlmann/Olaf Pieczkowski (LSU) vs. Woodson McMillin/Boruch Skierkier (TENN) 6-6 (4-2), unfinished
Match Notes:
Tennessee 7-10; National ranking #61
LSU 16-2; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,6,3)
Official: Ritchie Weaver
Southern Miss vs LSU
Mar 08, 2026 at Baton Rouge, La
LSU Tennis Complex
#6 LSU 6, Southern Miss 1
Singles competition
1. #54 Erik Arutiunian (LSU) def. Kale Mize (USM) 6-2, 6-2
2. Alessio Vasquez (LSU) def. Jose Murariu (USM) 6-3, 7-5
3. Saheb Sodhi (USM) def. Matias Ponce De Leon (LSU) 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 6-3
4. Enzo Kohlmann (LSU) def. Olle Noltorp (USM) 6-3, 6-2
5. Rudy Ceccon (LSU) def. Eric Perkowski (USM) 7-5, 6-3
6. Calin Stirbu (LSU) def. Matei Varbanciu (USM) 6-7 (6-8), 6-1, 1-0 (10-4)
Doubles competition
1. #66 Andrej Loncarevic/Sasa Markovic (LSU) vs. Kale Mize/Jay Temming (USM) 5-4, unfinished
2. Matias Ponce De Leon/Enzo Kohlmann (LSU) def. Saheb Sodhi/Eric Perkowski (USM) 6-3
3. Alessio Vasquez/Calin Stirbu (LSU) def. Jose Murariu/Matei Varbanciu (USM) 6-2
Match Notes:
Southern Miss 5-5
LSU 17-2; National ranking #6
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,4,2,5,6,3)
Official: Ritchie Weaver