Wildcats Fall to LSU on Senior Day

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The
20th-ranked Kentucky men’s tennis team came up short against No. 39 LSU in Sunday’s
conference competition falling, 4-2, at the Hilary J. Boone Tennis Center. It
was Senior Day as the Wildcats said goodbye to lone senior, Kevin Lai. The
Taiwan native racked up 45 career wins during his time with the program, which
gives him the second most wins on the current team.

After a stellar
and clutch performance on Friday that helped Kentucky take down No. 10 Texas
A&M, it was only fitting that the Bluegrass’s own Austin Hussey knotted up
the match early for the Wildcats with a 6-3, 6-1, victory over LSU’s Simon
Freund. The freshman won the last three games of the first set heading into the
second where he only lost one game.

Ryo Matsumura
controlled his match for its duration and extended his winning streak to six
after picking up a solid 6-2, 6-1, win over No. 95 Justin Butsch for his second
ranked win of the weekend and seventh on the season.

Kentucky sits at
17-7 this season with a 6-4 SEC record. LSU is 14-9 with a 5-6 record in league
play.

Sunday’s match
marked the end of home matches for this season. The Wildcats are back in action
on Friday, April 15, in Gainesville, Fla., in a matchup with the No. 14 Florida
Gators.

Results

#39 LSU 4, #20
Kentucky 2

Singles
                                                                            

1. #79 Jordan
Daigle (LSU) def. #25 William Bushamuka (UK) 3-6, 6-1, 7-5

2. #52 Ryo
Matsumura (UK) def. #95 Justin Butsch (LSU) 6-2, 6-1

3. Gabor Csonka
(LSU) def. Nils Ellefsen (UK) 6-4, 6-3

4. Boria Arias
(LSU) def. Enzo Wallart (UK) 6-1, 6-3

5. Trey Yates (UK)
vs. Andrew Korinek (LSU) 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 2-2, unfinished

6. Austin Hussey
(UK) def. Simon Freud (LSU) 6-3, 6-1

Doubles

1. Nills
Ellefsen/Enzo Wallart (UK) vs. #11 Jordan Daigle/Boris Arias (LSU) 4-5,
unfinished

2. Justin
Butsch/Tam Trinh (LSU) def. William Bushamuka/Trey Yates (UK) 6-3

3. Andrew
Korinek/Gabor Csonka (LSU) def. Ryo Matsumura/Austin Hussey (UK) 6-3

Match Notes

LSU 14-9; National
ranking #39

Kentucky 17-7;
National ranking #20

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