BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals men's tennis team will be making a return trip to the NCAA Championships after defeating No. 1 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 4-1, Sunday afternoon at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center. It was the fourth consecutive season the two schools have met in the championship splitting the four decisions.
 
"To win our first title in 40 years last season and then follow that up with another title this year is something special," said LU head coach Scott Shankles. "I'm really proud of these guys. After winning it last year, they've played this whole season with a target on their back. They've really handled that situation well and I'm very proud of this team today. That's why having an experienced team is so important, especially playing against your rival – a team who is as tough as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Experience was important helping us get over the finish line."
 
The Southland Conference Men's Tennis Championship tournament played out the way everyone expected with the regular-season co-conference champions – Lamar University and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi – advancing to the championship match. Sunday's championship played out the way a rivalry between two teams should, a close battle down to the final point.
 
Although the Cardinals jumped out to a 3-0 lead, three courts were forced to a third set, and three sets ended in a tiebreak.
 
The Cardinals struck first picking off wins at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles. The first win came from the team of seniors Jeandre Hoogenboezem and Nikita Lis on court one. The Cardinals' top doubles team recorded a 6-3 victory.
 
The match on court 2 was locked in a tight battle that saw neither team gain an advantage. It was a similar situation on court 3. Senior Juuso Laitinen and junior Logan Powell were able to take a small a lead and carried that to victory, 6-4, over A&M-Corpus Christi's Mitchell Cook and Maximilian Ilic. The victory was key for the Cardinals because Texas A&M-Corpus Christi held a slim one-point advantage, 6-5, on court two when play was halted.
 
The doubles point would prove pivotal as the two teams entered singles play. Big Red held the momentum from the doubles competition recording two quick victories at the top of the lineup.
 
Senior Nikita Lis ousted A&M-Corpus Christi's Cagatay Soke, 7-5, 6-2, at No. 2 singles. Classmate Michael Feucht followed suit 60 seconds later with a victory at No. 1 singles. Feucht eliminated the 2017 Southland Player of the Year, Kevin Bettendroffer, 6-2, 6-4, on court No. 1.
 
Despite the 3-0 advantage, the match was a long way from being over. The Cardinals were trailing on three of the four remaining courts, and trailing in the second set of the remaining match they were winning.
 
After winning the opening set, sophomore Sebastian Santibanez found himself trying to battle back in the second. While Santibanez was trying to rally for his individual match and the overall team victory, Hoogenboezem was trying to win the second set to keep his match alive.
 
Almost simultaneously, Hoogenboezem scored the point to force a third set while Santibanez's attempt at a straight-set victory fell short being pushed to a third. Santibanez opened the third locked in a back-and-forth affair, while Hoogenboezem was seizing on his new lease on life.
 
After dropping the first game, Hoogenboezem took a 4-1 lead in the third. The Islanders' William Mottet rallied to cut the deficit to 5-3 but that put Hoogenboezem in position of serving for the match. One of four seniors on the Cardinals' roster, Hoogenboezem stepped into the spotlight to play the role of hero Sunday sending a knockout punch to Mottet and the Islanders, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3.
 
"Jeandre is a smart, talented player," said Shankles. "I think he would be the first to tell you that being in that moment last season helped him prepare him for being on that stage this year. He is a very confident player."
 
The Cardinals will represent Southland Conference in the NCAA Championships for a second consecutive season. The NCAA selection show will be Tuesday, May 2^nd at 4 p.m. LU will be holding a watch party at the team meeting room at the Dauphin Athletics Complex.
 
-LU CARDINALS-