BEAUMONT, Texas – Fresh off their clean sweep victory over Alcorn State, the Lamar University men's tennis team returns to action Friday when they travel to Tulsa, OK to face off against Oral Roberts (0-3) in a double-header.
 
The Cardinals will look to continue their impressive form which has seen them etch out a five-game match streak. Big Red has responded in resounding fashion after dropping their opening two matches of the season. With much of the Cardinals recent success owed to their inspiring play in singles, having won 20 out of their 30 matches played (.667) during the current win streak.
 
Freshman Filippo Salsini is unbeaten in his previous four matches and boasts a 4-1 (.800) record in singles play this season. Sophomore Joshua Taylor has also come into great form in singles and is currently riding a 3-match win streak on the season. Salsini and Taylor have doubled up on their singles success and proved to be a strong doubles pairing, having not lost any of the three matches. The freshman pairing of Bo Cautaerts and Brandon Do similarly remain unbeaten in doubles play.
 
The Cardinals will look to set the records straight this Friday and overturn their defeat to Oral Roberts last season where they dropped a close 4-3 decision at the Family Thompson Center. History is on LU's side in the series against the Golden Eagles with a 9-4 (.692) record. The Cardinals own a 3-1 (.750) record when playing against Oral Roberts in Tulsa.
 
The Golden Eagles are 0-3 on the 2021 season, with their last match being a 6-1 setback against Arkansas. ORU has already had five matches either postponed or cancelled this season.
 
Friday's match is slated to begin at noon, with the second match of the double-header set to begin at 4 p.m. Following the doubleheader against ORU, the Cardinals will return to action on Mar. 12 when they travel to Dallas to take on SMU.