BATON ROUGE, La. – While Vanderbilt won five of six first sets on Friday evening against LSU, the Tigers put together a comeback in the latter stages to earn a 4-1 win over the Commodores in the SEC opener for both teams.
Vanderbilt (4-2) got off to a hot start across the board in singles first sets with Macsen Sisam and Joubert Klopper both winning 6-0 at Nos. 4 and 6, respectively. George Harwell and Jeremie Casabon at Nos. 1 and 5 both also won first-set tiebreakers while Marcus Ferreira on No. 2 took a 6-4 victory.
Down the stretch, Sisam’s opponent put together a comeback to take a 0-6, 6-1, 6-3 win to put LSU (8-1) up 3-0 after Tom Pisane topped Vandy’s Max Freeman 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2.
With four courts remaining, Klopper earned Vanderbilt’s first point with a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 win at No. 6 and the Commodores worked their way back into position to gain more ground. With the three remaining courts in third sets, Harwell traded four consecutive breaks with No. 99 Ronald Hohmann and Ferreira went back and forth with both Dores forcing tiebreakers, but Casabon suffered a break at 3-4 and Joao Graca held to clinch the win with a 6-7 (), 6-3, 6-3 to make it 4-1 LSU.
Starting the evening, a tight doubles point that ultimately fell LSU’s way was up in the air throughout with all three matches locked in heated battles. While Casabon and Adam Sraberg fought to a 6-4 defeat, Harwell and Freeman trailed 4-2 after a break but came up with a break of their own to even No. 1 doubles at 5-5 against No. 60 Hohmann and Rafael Wagner. The duo couldn’t come all the way back, though, with LSU’s pair getting a break to win 7-5 and give the Tigers the point.
Vanderbilt will be back in Nashville on Sunday afternoon to take on No. 10 Texas A&M. First serve is scheduled for noon.
Singles
1. #117 George Harwell (Vandy) def. #99 Ronnie Hohmann (LSU) 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (4)
2. Rafael Wagner (LSU) def. Marcus Ferreira (Vandy) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6
3. Tom Pisane (LSU) def. Max Freeman (Vandy) 6-4, 6-2
4. Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. Macsen Sisam (Vandy) 0-6, 6-1, 6-3
5. Joao Graca (LSU) def. Jeremie Casabon (Vandy) 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3
6. Joubert Klopper (Vandy) def. Tomas Descarrega (LSU) 6-0, 3-6, 6-3
Doubles
1. #60 Ronnie Hohmann/Rafael Wagner (LSU) def. George Harwell/Max Freeman (Vandy) 7-5
2. Marcus Ferreira/Macsen Sisam (Vandy) vs. Joao Graca/Joey Thomas (LSU) 5-6, unfinished
3. Nick Watson/Boris Kozlov (LSU) def. Jeremie Casabon/Adam Sraberg (Vandy) 6-4
Order of Finish
Doubles: 3, 1
Singles: 3, 4, 6, 5, 2, 1
