Huskers Lose Tough Match to LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. – The No. 41 Nebraska Cornhuskers were defeated, 4-3, by the No. 35 LSU Tigers (7-9) on Tuesday afternoon at W.T. "Dub" Robinson Stadium. The loss gives the Huskers a 12-5 record on the year. The match against the Tigers was the first of four road matches for NU.

 

Nebraska head coach Kerry McDermott said that he was disappointed in the way the Huskers lost the match.

 

“I was disappointed in losing this match,” McDermott said. “I felt that we found a way to lose today and that’s not our character.”

 

The match started with the Huskers losing the doubles point to the Tigers. LSU was up 6-1 on court 3, but Nebraska rallied to win five straight games to tie it at 6-6 before LSU went on to win the last two games and win, 8-6. The win on court 3 ultimately clinched the doubles point for the Tigers.

 

McDermott felt that the doubles point was there for the Huskers’ taking.

 

“We had a good chance to take the doubles point with the tie breakers,” McDermott said. “But we were nervous and didn’t take care of volleys. The doubles point really hurt us today.”

 

The Huskers three points came from singles play.

 

NU’s No. 81 Christopher Aumueller defeated LSU’s Olivier Borsos, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Aumueller was playing at the No. 1 spot in the Huskers’ line-up.

 

At the No. 3 spot in the Huskers’ line-up was Benedikt Lindheim, who won his singles point when Stefan Szacinski of LSU retired in the third set after, 6-7 (1-7) 6-3, 2-2, retired.

 

At the No. 6 spot, Sebastian Florczyk defeated the Tigers’ Julien Gauthier, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4.

 

At No. 2 singles, LSU’s No. 92 Neal Skupski, 6-3, 6-3, defeated NU’s Calin Paar. At No. 4 singles, the Tigers’ Sebastian Carlsson downed Nebraska’s Tom Blackwell, 6-3, 6-2. Also winning their singles match for the Tigers at the No. 5 spot was Mark Bowtell, who was victorious over NU’s Andre Stenger, 4-6, 7-6, 6-3.

 

McDermott believes that team can learn from today’s tough loss.

 

“I feel the guys fought hard,” McDermott said. “We got to live and learn. Now we have to get ready for another tough match tomorrow against Mississippi State.”

 

The Huskers will face No. 31 Mississippi State Wednesday afternoon in Starkville, Miss. The match against the Bulldogs will begin at 2 p.m.

 

#35 LSU 4, #41 Nebraska 3

 

Singles

1. #81 Chris Aumueller (NU) def. Olivier Borsos (LSU) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4

2. #92 Neal Skupski (LSU) def. Calin Paar (NU) 6-3, 6-3

3. Benedikt Lindheim (NU) def. Stefan Szacinski (LSU) 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 2-2, retired

4. Sebastian Carlsson (LSU) def. Tom Blackwell (NU) 6-3, 6-2

5. Mark Bowtell (LSU) def. Andrew Stenger (NU) 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3

6. Sebastian Florczyk (NU) def. Julien Gauthier (LSU) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4

 

Doubles

1. #12 Carlsson/Skupski (LSU) def. #65 Aumueller/Lindheim (NU) 8-5

2. Szacinski/Anderson (LSU) def. Florczyk/Stenger (NU) 9-7

3. Gauthier/Borsos (LSU) def. Paar/Schulze (NU) 8-6

 

Match Notes: Nebraska 12-5; National ranking #41 LSU 7-9; National ranking #35

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (4,2,6,1,5,3)