Twice this weekend the Tigers attempted to duplicate their come-back magic they showcased in last Sunday’s 4-3 win against Rice, and twice LSU came up short in Nashville, Tenn.
In the first round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Kickoff Weekend, the No. 23 Tigers (1-2) fell behind early to No. 19 Wake Forest (5-1) as they lost the doubles point. Sophomore Boris Arias put LSU on the board at 3-1 with his 6-5, 1-6, 6-5 win against Jon Ho before freshman Justin Butsch’s hard-fought, 6-5, 3-6, 3-6, loss against Pedro Dumont secured the 4-1 victory for the Demon Deacons.
Sunday’s contest against No. 15 Vanderbilt (4-1) produced the same result as Saturday, but in a different fashion.
The Tigers took the doubles point as the teams of sophomore Andrew Korinek and Butsch and sophomore Tam Trinh and freshman Eric Perez both recorded their first wins of the season.
But LSU would lose three singles matches in a row, putting the Commodores up 3-1 as junior Chris Simpson and Trinh went to third sets in their respective matches. Two three-setters in two days proved too much for Simpson as his loss to the No. 9 ITA-ranked Gonzales Austin sealed the 4-1 win for Vanderbilt. Trinh’s match was subsequently stopped, stalling what he hoped to be his first singles victory of the season.
LSU Coach Jeff Brown said the Tigers handled this weekend’s pressure well and were only a couple bounces in their favor away from defeating Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.
“From the results this weekend, we certainly know we’re capable of being in the top 20, and that’s a good thing,” Brown said. “We know the guys are fighters, and we know we’re right in the mix. And [this weekend] will probably add some incentive when [the Commodores] come visit us.”
On paper, the Lady Tigers’ 4-0 loss to No. 9 Miami on Saturday seems like a disappointment. But in between the lines of Neil Schiff Tennis Center’s courts this weekend, LSU proved it’s a motivated bunch.
ITA Kickoff Weekend’s final-round matchup between the No. 65 Lady Tigers (3-1) and the Hurricanes (2-0) in Coral Gables, Fla. wouldn’t have been possible without LSU’s 4-1 victory against No. 59 South Florida (2-1) on Friday.
After winning the doubles point, freshman Gabrielle Otero and junior transfer Noel Scott earned wins in their first matches as Lady Tigers and helped LSU defeat the Bulls while freshman Joana Vale Costa clinched the match by defeating USF’s Kayla Rizzolo 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).
Scott entered the lineup this weekend after being slightly banged up in the Lady Tigers’ season-opener a week ago. LSU Coach Julia Sell said her team’s performance on Friday revealed character.
“It was a pure team effort and [USF] made us earn every single point,” Sell said. “[Noel]’s so antsy just to be back on the court and be 100 percent. To go out there and not be able to move fully, which is one of the strengths of her game, is an incredible effort.”
Despite its loss, LSU’s test against Miami will serve as an example to look back on during the season. With four freshmen in the lineup, Sell said nerves and playing under pressure are just a part of the squad’s growing pains.
Having played a top 10 team on the road, the youthful and hungry Lady Tigers are ready for any opponent, Sell said.
“We haven’t gotten a lot of respect so far and that’s deserved,” Sell said. “We didn’t do much last year. We’ve got to go out every match and prove ourselves and that’s something we talk about a lot before our matches. They’re amped up to compete. … It’s really going to help us in the long run to have had such a competitive match against a great team this early in the season.”
“And [this weekend] will probably add some incentive when [the Commodores] come visit us.”