LSU women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis said the Lady Tigers have to “get their swagger back” if they want to advance in the 2009 NCAA tournament.The No. 25 Lady Tigers play their first-round match Saturday in Stanford, Calif., against Long Beach State in LSU’s 14th trip to the NCAA tournament in 15 years.LSU (13-10, 3-7) is currently on a four-match losing streak, including a first-round exit at the hands of Ole Miss in the Southeastern Conference tournament two weeks ago. All the team’s losses have been to conference opponents on the road.”We have to get back to what got us here — the way we carried ourselves and the way we competed,” Minnis said. “As a coach and as a team, we have to do a better job of handling the road environment.”LSU faced the Big West champion Long Beach State in California this past season and defeated the 49ers, 6-1. The Lady Tigers swept the six singles matches and returned five of those six players this season.”Even though we won [last season] by a pretty decent score, they are a tough team, especially in doubles starting out with really high energy,” LSU senior Mykala Hedberg said. “Obviously this is the NCAAs now, and everyone is trying to achieve the same goals. It’s going to be a battle.”The Lady Tigers have lost the doubles point in all four losses during the streak.”Usually one of our teams will lose 9-8 or 9-7 and cost us the doubles point,” LSU junior Nicole Kantor said. “Decrease in confidence and nerves have gotten in the way. Losing four straight matches is a confidence-killer, especially losing a few SEC matches we shouldn’t have lost.”If the Lady Tigers defeat Long Beach State, they will play Sunday against the winner of the other first-round match between No. 13 Stanford and Wichita State.TIGERS HOST FRIDAY MATCH BEHIND NO. 2 DOUBLES TEAMThe LSU men’s tennis team will not have to leave its home court for its NCAA tournament first-round match today Friday against No. 34 Rice.The Tigers (10-11, 4-7) faced the Owls on Feb. 7 and won, 4-3. LSU swept doubles, and freshman Neal Skupski clinched the match with a straight-set victory against Rice’s Chong Wang.Skupski, who received second-team All-SEC honors and was one of six players named to the All-Freshman Team, will play today against a different opponent, Tobias Scheil.Skupski has amassed the most overall wins on the team this season with 20 in his first season as a Tiger. He said it will help the Tigers’ chances greatly if they can defend their home court.”It will be pretty difficult,” Skupski said. “But it’s a big benefit playing at home. The crowd will be behind us, and we’re used to the hotter weather conditions. Hopefully we can take advantage.”Skupski and his doubles partner, senior Michael Venus, have played at the top position for LSU all season, accumulating a 13-7 record on their way to a No. 2 national ranking. In LSU’s two losses against Ole Miss this season, the duo knocked off the No. 1 doubles team in the nation, Jonas Berg and Bram ten Berge.If LSU advances past Rice and Ole Miss defeats SWAC champion Alcorn State in the first round in Baton Rouge, the Tigers and Rebels will meet again in the second round.”We played one of our best matches against Ole Miss [in the SEC tournament],” Skupski said. “It would be cool to get another shot at playing them. It’s important to get a fast start with the doubles point.”LSU men’s tennis coach Jeff Brown has led the Tigers to the NCAA tournament in all 12 of his seasons at the helm. Brown said Rice, who earned its seventh straight NCAA tournament berth, is a team that should not be taken lightly.”Their level of play has gotten better through the course of the season, and their personnel are still very similar to ours,” he said. “They had a win over Texas A&M on the road, so they’re an experienced road team. They present a strong challenge.”The Tigers and Lady Tigers each have one player in the individual singles rankings. Venus, the SEC Player of the Year, checks in at No. 7, and Falcon is at No. 13. Falcon earned All-America honors for the third time in her three seasons at LSU.—-Contact Rachel Whittaker at [email protected]