BEAUMONT, Texas – For the average tennis fan who showed up at the Thompson Family Tennis Center Friday afternoon, it might have been a little difficult to tell who was who. The Lamar University Cardinals hosted Incarnate Word, who is also known as the Cardinals. Both teams stepped on the court wearing nearly identical uniforms, both displaying the nickname Cardinals, but the "average fan" need only listen to the cheers from the crowd to tell who won as LU defeated the Southland's other Cardinals, 7-0.
"I was really happy with how we came out in doubles play," said LU head coach
Scott Shankles. "It was a really windy day, and that can get into your head but we didn't let that happen. Our doubles play set the tone for the rest of the match."
The cheers came fast and furious as the home team Cardinals wasted little time jumping out to a 1-0 lead. LU didn't even need court one to finish to lock up the doubles points after taking relatively easy victories on courts 2 and 3. The Red and White also had a lead on court one when the match was halted.
All six singles matches were straight sets for the Cardinals who improved to 11-6 (.647) overall, and starts 1-0 in Southland Conference play.
Senior
Jeandre Hoogenboezem gave the Cardinals a 2-0 lead with his 6-4, 6-2 victory over UIW's Ivanhoe Lissanevitch at line three singles. Classmate
Nikita Lis kept the run going with his straight-sets victory at the No. 2 position. Lis recorded a 6-1, 6-3 victory over the Cardinals' Francisco Bendana.
Lis' win left the Cardinals with four other matches to pick up the fourth and deciding point. Fortunately, Big Red won the first set on all four of the remaining courts. LU didn't have to wait long to pick up the team victory which was delivered by junior
Benny Schweizer on court six. Schweizer's 6-1, 6-3 decision on court six picked up the overall victory for the Cards with three matches remaining.
The Cardinals closed the day by picking up wins on courts 1, 5 and 4 respectively.
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they step out of conference play to host former Southland member, UTSA. The match against the Roadrunners will begin at 10 a.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
-LU CARDINALS-
