LSU men’s tennis has secured its first SEC win this past weekend after defeating No. 48 ranked Alabama 4-3 at home. The win comes from the first of two games played last Sunday, with the Tigers winning both and improving to an overall record of 10-7.
The match against Alabama was a battle from start to finish and the Tigers came up clutch in tough scenarios. Play started with doubles. The No. 48 ranked duo Stefan Latinovic and Nick Watson started with a surprising loss for the Tigers, losing 1-6.
The two following duos for the Tigers came to the rescue, winning both of the following games to secure the lead 1-0. Pair George Stoupe and Julien Penzlin fought hard for their 7-5 win and Chen Dong and Welsh Hotard followed with a dramatic win of their own, finishing doubles play after their 7-5 match.
Singles play began shortly after and Alabama was quick to jump on the scoreboard. Stoupe lost the first singles match of the day, dropping in straight sets 1-6, 2-6. Hotard quickly took the lead back for the Tigers, winning his match in straight sets 6-1, 6-3.
No. 58 Ronnie Hohmann battled in his fight with his Crimson Tide opponent but fell in the end, losing 4-6, 4-6 and tying the score for Alabama. It was followed by a hard-fought win from Penzlin, who convincingly won his first set 6-3 and struggled to close out his win in the second set 7-5.
Dong, who secured the doubles point earlier in the day with some help from teammate Hotard, came to the rescue again for the Tigers. With a score of 3-2, Dong pulled through in his match, winning 6-4, 7-5 in exciting fashion and securing the overall win for the Tigers 4-2.
Latinovic played the last match of the day with Alabama, falling in three sets to No. 88 ranked Enzo Aguiard 6-3, 4-6, 0-6. His loss cemented the final score 4-3, and LSU made way with not only its first SEC win but its first win in seven games as well.
The dramatic win against No. 48 Alabama set the tone for the rest of the day and LSU made quick work of their second opponent, Alcorn State. It was a Sunday sweep for the Tigers who won 7-0 against the Braves.
Stoupe and Penzlin teamed up again for the first match, winning a convincing 6-0 set. Dong and new doubles partner, Ben Koch, featured took the lead for the Tigers, winning their match 6-1 and earning the doubles point. The duo of Hohmann and Watson, ranked No. 80, followed with the last doubles match, winning 6-2.
Singles play followed, and the Tigers made quick work of their matches. Hohmann started with a win in straight sets, winning 6-0, 6-0. Koch continued the success, winning his match in straight sets as well, 6-1, 6-0.
Stoupe clinched the win for the Tigers, raising the score to 4-0 after another straight sets win, finishing 6-2, 6-0. The following three matches continued in play regardless of the set victory.
Benjamin Ambrosio won his match 6-1, 6-3, followed by a 6-1, 6-3 victory from Watson as well. Penzlin’s match was the only to reach a third set but the Tiger took home the final victory 3-6, 6-3, 10-6, setting a final overall score of 7-0 and securing the sweep.
The two victories from the weekend will likely raise the Tigers’ confidence heading into the rest of the season. A ranked conference victory against Alabama earns LSU its first win in the SEC.
The Tigers will look to continue their success as they travel to Fayetteville on Friday to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks.
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