BEAUMONT, Texas – Freshman Margarita Nikonorova put the final touches on a comeback that saw Lamar University (4-5) rally from an early deficit to defeat Southern Mississippi, 4-2, Tuesday afternoon at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center.
 
The afternoon didn't start well start well as Lamar dropped two of the three doubles matches surrendering the doubles point. Big Red quickly regrouped in singles competition jumping out to big leads on several courts. Noelia Lorca, Ana Jolic and Megan Do each took first-set victory to restore the order.
 
In addition to the trio of Cardinals that each took early leads in singles competition, the other three courts saw Big Red answer back with second set victories for force a third.
 
With courts 1, 4 and 5 each headed to a third, Do got the Cardinals on the scoreboard at No. 6 singles. The Nederland native posted a quick 6-3, 6-0 decision over Southern Miss' Zenn Lim for the Cardinals' first point of the match. Just seconds later, LU took its first lead of the day when Lorca finished off the Golden Eagles' Alyssa Richter, 6-3, 6-4, at No. 2 singles.
 
Looking for a little breathing room, junior Ana Jolic came through for the Red and White with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Southern Miss' Suhana Das at the No. 3 spot. Jolic's victory put the Cardinals one point away from the overall win, but the Golden Eagles had one final push to try and get back in the match.
 
Of the three courts headed to a third set, USM picked up a point with a three-set victory at No. 5, to pull within one, 3-2. The match on court four was a back and forth affair that saw Nikonorova build a three-games lead, only to see her opponent, Clara Tardivel, battle back to within one, 4-3.
 
With Nikonorova locked in a tight battle on 4, senior Femke Tjon-A-Joe was slowly pulling away from her opponent at No. 1, after a hard-fought victory in the second set to extend the match. While Tjon-A-Joe was extending her lead, teammate Nikonorova regained her rhythm and was inching the Red and White toward the overall victory. Nikonorava pushed her third set lead to 5-3 and finished off her opponent in the ninth game, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.
 
The Cardinals return to action Friday when they travel to Nacogdoches, Texas to take on former conference rival, Stephen F. Austin. The match against the Ladyjacks will begin at 1 p.m. from the Schlief Tennis Complex.