STILLWATER, Okla. – Lamar University recorded a split to kick off the 2022 season Friday afternoon in Stillwater, Okla. The Cardinals defeated Bryant University, 6-1, in the opening match Friday morning, but dropped a 6-1 score to the host Cowboys in the afternoon match.
 
The Cardinals (1-1) opened the day by snagging the first two doubles matches to take an early 1-0 lead against Bryant. Big Red pushed its advantage to two with a victory from freshman Juan Jose Rodriguez on court No. 2.
 
Bryant cut into the Cardinals lead with a victory on court No. 2, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get. LU rattled off four consecutive wins to pick up their first team victory of the season.
 
The Red and White held carried that momentum into the start of the match against Oklahoma State. After the team of freshman Martin Garcia-Ripoll and senior Joshua Taylor defeated the Cowboys' Leighton Allen and Francisco Pini, 7-5, at No. 3, the rookie duo of Rodriguez and Daniel Sancho Arbizu closed out the competition with a tiebreak 7-6 (7-5) victory over OSU's Luke Hammond and Sebastian Nothhaft at the No. 2 position. The match on court one was allowed to finish but the Cardinals took the 1-0 lead into singles competition.
 
Unfortunately, LU was unable to hold the momentum as the Cowboys rallied for victories on all six singles courts.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday, Jan. 22, when they travel to Houston to face Rice. The match against the Owls will begin at 10 a.m.