BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University men's tennis team needed every point it scored Sunday morning to defeat Abilene Christian at the Thompson Family Tennis Center. The 71^st-ranked Cardinals picked up a 4-3 victory over ACU to improve to 12-5 (.706) on the season, and remain perfect in Southland Conference play (3-0).
 
For the Wildcats, the loss dropped them from the ranks of the undefeated as they fall to 17-7 (.708) on the season and 2-1 (.667) in league action.
 
"We knew coming in this match was going to be tough," said LU head coach Scott Shankles. "They had beaten a ranked UC Davis squad earlier in the season, and have a lot of other impressive wins throughout the year as well. ACU will always fight till the very end that is just how that team is. They are very well coached team so I'm pleased to come out of today with a win."
 
The Cardinals picked up the doubles point in relatively easy fashion surrendering only three games in the two matches it won. LU was also leading on court 3, 4-2, when the match was stopped, but that is where the ease of the match ended as the rest of the day would be a battle on every court.
 
Junior Jeandre Hoogenboezem gave the Cardinals a 2-0 advantage after his victory over ACU's Henry Adams on No. 5 singles. The Wildcats answered right back with a win at No. 3, which placed LU in a tough position. Although the Cards had the overall lead, courts 2 and 4 where headed to a third set, and junior Juuso Laitinen dropped his opening set at No. 6, and was locked in a close battle in the second.
 
Junior Michael Feucht gave the Red and White a little breathing room with his victory at No. 1 singles, but it came down to the wire in both sets. After picking up a 7-5 win in the opening frame, the second set was even closer as Feucht recorded a 7-6 (9-7) decision to win the match.
 
The Wildcats would hold on to their leads at Nos. 2 and 4 singles to score their second and third points of the day, which placed the overall outcome on Laitinen's shoulders at No. 6. After dropping the opening set, Laitinen rallied for victory in the second, 7-6 (7-2), to even things up. After winning the tiebreaker, Laitinen took control of the match putting his opponent away, 6-2 in the third.
 
"Juuso has really turned things around since we played Presbyterian," said Shankles. "He has done a tremendous job of improving during the week, and then putting that into play during a match. When he clinched the win against Iowa, it just vaulted him to more confidence. I'm proud of how he clinched the win today."
 
The victory gives Big Red a five-match win streak which is the longest of the season. The Cardinals will put that streak on the line Saturday when it steps out of conference to take on Rice. The match against the Owls is slated to begin at 11 a.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
  
Singles
1. Michael Feucht (LU) def. Josh Sheehy (ACU), 7-5, 7-6 (9-7)
2. Jason Proctor (ACU) def. Nikita Lis (LU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Nico Agritelley (ACU) def. Sebastian Santibanez (ACU), 6-4, 6-3
4. Hunter Holman (ACU) def. Benny Schweizer (LU), 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
5. Jeandre Hoogenboezem (LU) def. Henry Adams (ACU), 6-4, 6-4
6. Juuso Laitinen (LU) def. Sebastian Langdon (ACU), 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
 
Doubles
1.  Feucht/Schweizer (LU) def. Adams/Agritelley (ACU), 6-1
2. Hoogenboezem/Lis (LU) def. Sheehy/Langdon (ACU), 6-2
3. Laitinen/Santibanez (LU) def. Proctor/Marco Bensley (ACU), 4-2 Unf.