BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's tennis match against Houston Sunday was scheduled to be played on the University of Houston campus but had to be moved indoors due to the rain. After being delayed by nearly three hours from the original start time, the two teams finally stepped on the indoor courts at the Galleria Tennis and Athletic Club where the Cougars recorded a 4-2 victory.
 
The two teams elected to start with the singles competition due to Sunday's delayed start.
 
The Cardinals (13-6) had the opening lead of the match from the start since Houston was forced to forfeit at court six due to injury, but that would be the Cards' lone point through the first four matches. The Cougars responded with a 3-0 run to take a two-point advantage with two courts left undone.
 
The Cardinals needed victories on both courts to force the match into doubles. Big Red got one of the points back at No. 1 singles when senior Katya Lapayeva overwhelmed UH's Sveva Mazzari in straight sets. Lapayeva recorded scores of 7-5, 6-3, to cut the deficit to a single point with court three remaining.
 
Freshman Jasmin Buchta was locked in a tough battled with Houston's Cristina Rovira. Tied at 5 in the opening set, Rovira took the final two games of the set for the 7-5 advantage. Buchta needed the second set to keep the match going. One of two standout freshmen on the Cardinals' roster, Buchta came up just short in the second set falling, 6-4.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday to take on rival McNeese. The match against the Cowgirls will begin at 1 p.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
 
-LU CARDINALS-