The LSU men’s tennis team returns home this weekend for a pair of matches against two Southeastern Conference Western Division foes.
No. 16 LSU (14-7, 2-6 SEC) hosts Auburn today at 2 p.m. at the W.T. “Dub” Robinson Tennis Stadium.
Auburn (11-6, 2-6 SEC) is ranked No. 29 in the nation and was ranked in the top 25 earlier this season.
History is on LSU’s side this weekend. The Tigers are 10-1 at home this season and 12-0 against teams not ranked in the top 25.
The Tigers also lead the all-time series against Auburn 28-9 — but LSU and Auburn each have won three of the last six meetings between the two.
“The series has been marked by intensity,” LSU men’s coach Jeff Brown said. “Every match is a fight to the finish and it will be no different this time.”
The Tigers are led by two ranked doubles teams — No. 7 Ken Skupski and Mark Growcott and No. 39 Danny Bryan and Colt Gaston — and LSU has won the doubles point in its last six matches.
Auburn counters with the No. 13 duo of Gabor Zolton-Pelva and Alex Schweizer. Zolton-Pelva also is ranked No. 47 nationally in singles play.
“Auburn has a strong doubles lineup and a talented singles lineup,” Brown said.
LSU welcomes SEC West foe Alabama on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The LSU women’s team heads to the state of Alabama this weekend to battle Auburn and Alabama.
LSU (8-9, 1-7 SEC) squares off against Auburn today at 4 p.m.
The Lady Tigers picked up a non-conference win Wednesday at Purdue, 4-3. In the match, Tiffany Tucker recorded her third straight singles victory and Camila Caliari picked up her fourth consecutive singles win.
Despite the victory at Purdue, LSU is mired in a six-game conference losing streak. The Lady Tigers are tied for third place in the SEC West with Alabama and are ninth overall in the SEC.
Auburn (6-11, 0-8 SEC) has yet to win a conference match this season and has lost four of the last five meetings against LSU.
LSU women’s coach Tony Minnis said the Lady Tigers are not overlooking Auburn despite their record.
“They’re another good SEC team,” Minnis said. “I expect nothing less than a battle like all our other matches.”