Chilly temperatures couldn’t cool off the LSU men’s tennis team Tuesday.
The Tigers (3-2) swept a doubleheader against in-state rivals Louisiana-Lafayette and UNO at W.T. “Dub” Robinson Stadium.
After dropping the first doubles match to ULL, No. 33 LSU battled back and won the final two matches to earn the opening point.
Senior Sebastian Carlsson and junior Neal Skupski jumped out to a 4-0 lead and cruised to an 8-2 victory in doubles.
“We’re playing well,” Carlsson said of himself and Skupski. “This is our fourth win in a row, so this is a good start for the rest of the season.”
Sophomores Stefan Szacinski and Roger Anderson teamed up to earn a victory, 8-4.
All six singles matches against the Ragin’ Cajuns were decided in straight sets, five going the Tigers’ way. The only loss came when junior Mark Bowtell fell to Ragin’ Cajun junior Carlin Murray, 6-3, 6-3.
Senior Julien Gauthier picked up where he left off Sunday against Rice, defeating ULL’s Ted Nilsson, 6-3, 6-1.
Carlsson gave LSU a 3-0 lead by topping Brandon Farine, 6-2, 6-4, while Tom Knights, a junior from London, downed Carl Alberton, 6-3, 6-3, clinching a Tiger victory.
Skupski and Szacinski followed suit, providing LSU’s fifth and sixth points.
In the nightcap, the Tigers were too much for the outmanned Privateers. UNO, playing with just five players, failed to earn a point.
“With the temperatures the way they were, it was a lot about keeping the guys focused,” said LSU men’s coach Jeff Brown. “The only match we lost today was against a very good player, so I think we accomplished all of our goals.”
LSU has now won three straight matches after falling in its first two.
“The match on Sunday was very big for us confidence-wise,” Carlsson said. “These two wins have us going in the right direction.”
Meanwhile, the LSU women’s team fell to 0-3 on the season after a narrow loss to Rice, 4-3.
LSU split the singles matches, 3-3, after dropping all three doubles matches to begin the day.
Junior Whitney Wolf got back on track with a 6-4, 7-6, win against Rice’s Rebekka Hanie.
Sophomores Ebie Wilson and Kaitlin Burns both notched their second consecutive win, as Wilson took down Daniella Trigo, 6-4, 6-4, and Burns battled back from a set down to knock off Jessica Jackson, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Sophomore Keri Frankenberger and freshmen Yvette Vlaar and Ariel Morton were all beaten in straight sets.
“I’m disappointed with the loss,” said LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis in a news release. “I am also proud of this young team. We are coming together.”
 
 
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Contact Hunt Palmer at [email protected]