Tigers drop 4-3 decision to LSU

Sunday, February 10

Memphis, Tenn.

12 p.m.

University of Memphis

LSU

Photo by: Matthew Smith

Feb 10, 2019 | Men's Tennis

Box Score

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Memphis men's tennis saw a three-match win streak snap Sunday afternoon after an exhausting 4-3 setback against No. 24 LSU at the Racquet Club of Memphis.

The home Tigers (8-2) controlled the early momentum with a doubles point victory. In singles, five of the six courts went the distance – including four set tiebreakers – as LSU (7-1) completed the rally.

"That was a fantastic college tennis match," Head Coach Paul Goebel said. "It started in doubles, which was so competitive. It was probably one of the better points we have played all year. In singles, every match was so close. When you get two teams that are pretty evenly matched and have had success in the past, that's the kind of match you expect. We were just a point or two short today."

For the ninth time this season, Memphis claimed the opening point. Freshmen duo Oscar Cutting and David Stevenson provided the energy with their first collegiate ranked win, downing No. 30 Rafael Wagner and Joey Thomas, 6-2. On court 2, Jan Pallares and Patrick Sydow registered their fifth clinch-point of the year with a 6-4 decision.

In singles, LSU began shift momentum with a win on court 5. Junior Jan Pallares and Senior Chris Patzanovsky then outlasted their opponents in three-set thrillers to push the lead to 3-1.

The visiting Tigers took control and never looked back with three-set wins on courts 3, 4 and 6.

Memphis will return to action with a road trip to Dartmouth and Harvard on Feb. 22 and 24.

"We don't need to change a lot. We're doing pretty well," Goebel added. "For some of these guys, getting into a close match like this was a new experience. The more competitive situations we can put them in, the better."

RESULTS
Singles
1. Chris Patzanovsky (MEM) def. Shane Monroe (LSU), 7-6(1), 2-6, 6-4
2. Jan Pallares (MEM) def. Rafael Wagner (LSU), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
3. Malik Bhatnagar (LSU) def. Matt Story (MEM), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3
4. Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. David Stevenson (MEM), 6-2, 6-7(1), 7-6(4)
5. Joey Thomas (LSU) def. Oscar Cutting (MEM), 6-3, 6-3
6. Nick Watson (LSU) def. Patrick Sydow (MEM), 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3
(Order of finish: 5, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6)

Doubles
1. Cutting/Stevenson (MEM) def. #30 Wagner/Thomas (LSU), 6-2
2. Pallares/Sydow (MEM) def. D. Moreno/Monroe (LSU), 6-4
3. Story/Taylor (MEM) vs. Kozlov/Watson (LSU), 5-4, unfinished
(Order of finish: 1, 2)