FRESNO, Calif. – After a tough opening day at the Pacific Central Valley Championships, the Lamar University men's tennis team bounced back in dominant fashion Sunday morning defeating University of the Pacific, 4-0, in a match that was held on the Fresno State campus.
 
The doubles point came down to the third court as courts 1 and 2 finished in order with similar 6-2 scores with the Red and White taking the victory at line one doubles. The match on number three came down to a tiebreaker and neither team was willing to surrender but the Cardinals grabbed a 7-6 (9-7), victory for the point.
 
Something that has eluded Big Red in the early part of the season has been converting success in doubles into momentum in singles. That wasn't the case Sunday as LU raced out to straight-set victories at Nos. 3 and 4 singles. Junior Nicolas Mayr picked up a 6-3, 6-1, decision over Nathan Hampton on court three for the second point, while freshman Filippo Salsini recorded a slightly more exciting 7-5, 6-0 victory at the No. 4 spot.
 
With a 3-0 lead the Cardinals needed just one more victory on the four remaining courts for the overall win. LU didn't allow the Tigers a chance to rally as sophomore Axel Vila Antuna picked up a tough 7-5 decision on court one. Vila Antuna held the momentum in the second set easily dispensing of Akram El Sallaly, 7-5, 6-2, for the final point.
 
The remaining three singles courts were halted when the Cardinals scored the fourth and deciding point.
 
The Cardinals will be back in action Tuesday when they return home to host Valparaiso. The match against the Crusaders will begin at 2 p.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.