Sunday, 02/24/2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 24 LSU men's tennis team (4-2) dropped the first match of their double-header against No. 4 Ohio State (12-2) at the Varsity Tennis Center 7-0.

The Buckeyes got off to a fast start during doubles. On court two, LSU's No. 35 duo of Chris Simpson and Stefan Szacinski lost to Ohio State's Devin McCarthy and Ille Van Engelen 5-8. Ohio State clinched the doubles point on court 2 when Blaz Rola and Kevin Metka bested LSU's pair of Olivier Borsos and Boris Arias 8-6 to give Ohio State a 1-0 lead. Doubles matches were wrapped up on court one with the No. 36 duo of Peter Kobelt and Conner Smith of Ohio State defeated LSU's Roger Anderson and Tam Trinh 8-5.

The Buckeyes extended their lead early in the singles matches, as they won the first set in all six matches. Ohio State's Constantin Christ extended the lead to 2-0 on court six when he defeated LSU's Boris Arias 6-1, 6-0. Shortly after on court five, the Buckeyes' No. 37 Chris Diaz beat the Tigers' Harrison Kennedy 6-1, 6-0.

No. 62 Rola clinched the match for Ohio State on court two, defeating LSU's Trinh 6-0, 6-1, earning a decisive 4-0 lead. On court four, No. 30 Smith pushed Ohio State's lead even further to 5-0 when he defeated LSU's Szacinski 6-2, 6-0. Borsos was bested by the Buckeyes' McCarthy on court two 0-6, 1-6. Singles matches were wrapped up on court one when No. 2 Kobelt defeated LSU's Simpson 7-6, 6-4.

LSU's second match of their double-header will be against Wright State at 4 p.m. CT.