BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals (1-2) men's tennis team returns to action Sunday when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss. to take on Southern Mississippi. It will be the Cardinals first match in nearly two weeks since falling at nationally ranked Texas A&M. The Golden Eagles enter the week with a 3-0 record to start the season, and are at the midpoint of a five-match homestand to start the season.
 
USM has recorded dual match victories over Florida A&M, Jacksonville State and Alcorn State, and will face George Washington Saturday before stepping on the court Sunday to host the Red and White.
 
The Cardinals are 1-2 in the early part of the season. Head coach Scott Shankles' crew bounced back from a battle at nationally ranked Texas to defeat Louisiana-Lafayette, 4-3. The Cardinals then hit the road the following day to travel to top-10 Texas A&M but came up short against the Aggies.
 
While the Golden Eagles are opening the season with five consecutive wins, LU has yet to host its home opener.
 
The Cardinals victory over the Ragin' Cajuns followed a similar path to success that LU found last year. Big Red was dominant in doubles play sweeping through all three matches, then followed suit with at three singles victories to clinch the team win. The Cards got victories from junior Michael Feucht at No. 1 singles, freshman Sebastian Santibanez at No. 4 and junior Jeandre Hoogenboezem at No. 5 singles.
 
The Cardinals will have one more match away from Beaumont before its opens the home portion of its 2016 schedule. Big Red will be in Edinburg, Texas Sunday, Feb. 7 to face UT Rio Grande Valley (formerly Texas-Pan American). The match will start at noon. LU will host its first home match of the season five days later against Prairie View A&M.
 
Sunday's match against the Southern Miss will begin at 10 a.m. from Hattiesburg, Miss.
 
-LU CARDINALS-