The LSU men’s tennis team has been ripping through its non-conference schedule.
In fact, the Tigers (7-1) haven’t lost a completed doubles or a singles match in 33 tries through the last four dual matches — and they were all at home.
LSU looks to continue its home dominance against Rice at 12 p.m. Sunday at “Dub” Robinson Stadium.
LSU coach Jeff Brown said the familiarity with the courts and even a decent size crowd at the “Dub” can make a huge difference for his club.
“It doesn’t take as much of a crowd to make a good amount of noise at the tennis courts for one individual,” Brown said. “We’re also in our surroundings. We are very comfortable with everything that’s happening leading up to the match…It’s just stuff you’re used to.”
Much like the Tigers, the Owls (5-5) have a youthful lineup, including only one senior on its roster. But most of their players are returning to a team that nearly beat LSU to open the 2014 spring season.
Brown recalled last season’s 4-3 squeaker at Rice, including LSU senior Chris Simpson’s match-deciding singles win against senior Srikar Alla.
“[Last year’s match] came down to a tiebreaker on the third set for us to clinch it,” Brown said. “We were pretty far ahead in that match, but then they ultimately won the second set. We were up a set, maybe 5-2. They came back. Then, we ultimately made a comeback of our own. Their last guy on the court started getting leg cramps, and there was just a lot of drama.”
Despite the added personnel to this year’s Tigers, Brown said Rice’s close losses may be inspiration for the Owls to get above .500.
With the additions to this year’s team, the Tigers can afford some creativity with their doubles lineup. One of those players is sophomore Justin Butsch, who normally competes with Simpson but has also played with junior Andrew Korinek in the spring season.
Korinek hasn’t played in recent weekends due to a lingering injury that Brown wanted him to rest.
“We have a lot of different teams that we can play depending upon who we are playing and the matchups,” Butsch said. “That helps up a lot. The other team doesn’t really know what’s coming. We feel comfortable with each other, so that’s a plus.”
“Our lineup is really deep, to be honest. It’s probably the deepest it has been in a while.”
Butsch, like Brown, knows the challenges Rice brings from his experience last season in his doubles and singles losses.
“There’s no easy matches when it comes to playing Rice,” Butsch said. “I remember last year it was my first dual match ever, and the environment there was pretty crazy. We barely squeaked it out. They’re a pretty good team.”