PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – The Lamar University men's tennis team closed out a four-match road swing with a doubleheaders sweep of Prairie View A&M Thursday afternoon. The Cardinals recorded identical 6-1 scores to moved to .500 (2-2) on the season.
 
The Cardinals took the doubles point in the opening match watching the bottom part of the lineup record the first victory of the day, with teams two and one following suit for the doubles sweep. Although the Cardinals jumped out to an early – and what appeared to be – easy 3-0 lead, things got a little more tense after that. Big Red was forced to a third set on courts one and three. Junior Carlos Paton Canal was forced to a third set after an easy opening set win, while sophomore Axel Vila Antuna fought back from an opening set loss to force an extra frame.
 
The Cardinals split the three-setters and closed out the day by picking up wins on the other two remaining courts for their first win of the season.
 
The second match was forced to start an hour later than originally planned, and saw a much different look to the LU starting lineup. Cardinals' head coach Scott Shankles pulled court one player – Vila Antuna – from the lineup, in addition to flipping several players to different spots in the order. The plan worked to perfection as LU posted another 6-1 decision without playing a three-set match. The Cardinals scored the first four points in the afternoon contest locking up the overall victory before PVAMU got on the scoreboard.
 
The Cardinals will be back in action Friday, Feb. 5, when they return to Beaumont to kick off a four-match homestand. Big Red will face UT Rio Grande Valley Friday with dates against Southern Mississippi and Alcorn State to follow.