The LSU men’s tennis team could not carry momentum from its first-round win into the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament as the Tigers fell to Ole Miss, 4-2, Friday in Auburn, Ala.
LSU lost the doubles point despite the No. 3-ranked tandem of senior Michael Venus and freshman Neal Skupski defeating the No. 1-ranked Rebels duo Bram ten Berge and Jonas Berg, 8-4.
Ole Miss won the first two singles matches to build a 3-0 lead. Venus, ranked No. 6 nationally in singles, and sophomore Sebastian Carlsson each won their match in straight sets to bring LSU back, but sophomore Julien Gauthier’s 7-5, 6-4 loss to Marcel Thiemann clinched the overall match for the Rebels.
“We got off to a quick start in doubles, but they responded and ultimately got the point that became the difference,” LSU men’s coach Jeff Brown said in a news release.
LADY TIGERS FALL TO REBELS IN FIRST ROUND
The LSU women’s tennis team could not get past its first-round opponent Ole Miss in their SEC tournament, losing to the Rebels, 4-1, Thursday in Fayetteville, Ark.
The match was delayed one hour and 30 minutes and eventually forced indoors because of heavy winds.
The Lady Tigers lost the doubles point to start the match behind No. 19 LSU duo Megan Falcon and Mykala Hedberg’s 8-2 loss to the No. 25 tandem Kristi Boxx and Karen Nijssen of Ole Miss.
Falcon, the nation’s No. 13 singles player, was the only winner for LSU in singles action as she knocked off No. 33 Boxx, 6-1, 6-4.
The Lady Tigers’ three singles losses were all in straight sets.
“Hats off to Ole Miss because they played a great match today,” LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis said in a news release. “It is unfortunate that our kids were put in a situation where they had to go indoors and play in an environment that they very seldom get a chance to play in throughout the course of the season.”
 
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