The LSU men’s tennis team advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2009 Southeastern Conference tournament this weekend, but the Tigers could not hold off their second-round opponent, Ole Miss, on Saturday in Auburn, Ala.The No. 8-seeded Tigers fell to the No. 1-seeded Rebels for the second time this season, 4-2, despite the LSU doubles team of senior Michael Venus and freshman Neal Skupski knocking off Ole Miss’ Bram ten Berge and Jonas Berg, the No. 1 doubles team in the nation.Venus and Skupski, the No. 3 doubles team in the nation, were LSU’s only doubles winners against Ole Miss, giving the Rebels the early doubles point, which LSU coach Jeff Brown said proved critical in the outcome.”We got off to a quick start in doubles, and they responded and ultimately got the point that became the difference,” Brown said after the match.LSU sophomore Sebastian Carlsson gave the Tigers their first point of the match with a singles victory against Berge, 6-4, 6-4. Venus, ranked No. 6 nationally, won his singles match against No. 16 Berg, 6-3, 7-5, to bring the Tigers back after two straight wins by the Rebels.But LSU sophomore Julien Gauthier’s loss to Marcel Thiemann, 7-5, 6-4, clinched the overall match for Ole Miss.LADY TIGERS LOSE IN FIRST ROUNDThe No. 10-seeded LSU women’s tennis team could not get past No. 7-seeded Ole Miss in its SEC tournament opener Thursday in Fayetteville, Ark.The match was delayed one hour and 30 minutes because of heavy winds of more than 20 mph and was eventually forced indoors, where LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis said the Lady Tigers are not nearly as comfortable.”Hats off to Ole Miss because they played a great match today,” Minnis said after the elimination. “It’s unfortunate our kids were put in a situation where they had to go indoors and play in an environment they very seldom get a chance to play in throughout the course of the season.”LSU lost the doubles point behind the No. 19 senior tandem Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg losing to No. 25 Kristi Boxx and Karen Nijssen of Ole Miss. Falcon and Hedberg have lost four of their past five contests.Falcon, ranked No. 13 nationally, secured the only singles win for the Lady Tigers, defeating No. 33 Boxx, 6-1, 6-4. 
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