BEAUMONT, Texas – Fresh off their impressive season-opening win over Grambling, the Lamar University soccer team returns to action Sunday to face Oklahoma. The game against the Sooners will start at 7:30 p.m. from the LU Soccer Complex.
 
The Sooners come to Beaumont with an 0-1 record after a season-opening 3-1 loss at Houston Thursday evening. Oklahoma did win their lone exhibition of the preseason – a 2-0 decision over Air Force at the beginning of August.
 
A vastly improved team from the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Sooners enter the new campaign looking to improve upon a 1-12-2 (.133) record a year ago. Oklahoma ended the 2020 campaign with 1-0 victory over Kansas State. The two ties came against Texas Tech and Iowa State (both games ended with identical 2-2 scores).
 
After a strong start to the 2020 season, Big Red is looking to bounce back from a disappointing end to the COVID-shortened year. After jumping out to an 8-1 record, an injury-riddled LU squad stumbled down the stretch losing their final three games, including a 4-3 overtime loss in the opening round of the tournament to Sam Houston.
 
Big Red has graduated several key players over the past couple of seasons, names which include numerous all-conference selections, two players who have gone on sign professional contracts overseas and one All-American, but they return their second leading scorer from last season – Christine Kitaru – to go along with former first-team all-league and all-region selection, Juana Plata, at defender.
 
Sunday's game will be the final of a two-game homestand to open the season before the Cardinals hit the road for three at Alabama, Jackson State and Houston.