BEAUMONT, Texas – After a two-hour delay to allow the courts to dry, the Lamar University men's tennis team was finally able to step on the court for their 2022 home opener. Unfortunately, it would be a home-opener the Red and White would like to forget. After a controversial call on court six would lead to the end of the match, the Cardinals came up just short, 4-3, to New Orleans Tuesday afternoon.
 
The Cardinals (1-3) struggled to find their normal rhythm on the doubles courts dropping all three matches to fall behind early, 1-0. Unfortunately, the matches on courts one and two went to a tiebreaker and could've gone either way, but UNO was able to edge out the homestanding Cardinals in both matches.
 
Big Red had an immediate answer with freshman Martin Garcia-Ripoll at No. 5 singles. He posted a straight-sets victory over New Orleans' Akos Kotorman, 6-1, 7-5, to tie the match back up at 1. The Cardinals would then take a two-point lead with consecutive victories on courts three and two, respectively (Max Amling - #3, Juan Jose Rodriguez - #2).
 
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Cardinals would get as singles played out the same way as the conclusion of doubles. The next two courts to finish would go to a third set. After the Cardinals picked up wins in the second set, the Privateers managed to hold off LU in the third on both courts to tie the match at 3-3, with only court No. 4 remaining.
 
After dropping a close opening set, 6-4, sophomore Brandon Do appeared to be on the verge of forcing a third set to make it three three-set matches in a row, but UNO's David Tesic was able to escape with a 7-6 (8-6) victory in the second.
 
The Cardinals will look to get back in the win column Friday, Feb. 4, when the host Oral Roberts. The match against ORU is slated to begin at 10 a.m.