BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University sent its three seniors out in style defeating New Orleans, 5-2, on Senior Day Sunday afternoon at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Complex. The victory moves Lamar to 11-10 (.534) overall and 3-4 (.429) in conference play to end the regular season before next week's Southland Conference Championship tournament.
 
The Cardinals honored their three seniors – Ana Jolic, Femke Tjon-A-Joe and Jayci Wong – before the start of the match, and Big Red carried that emotion onto the court winning the doubles point fairly quickly. LU took wins on courts 2 and 3 for the point.
 
UNO was locked in a tie (5-5) on court one but the match was halted when the point was secured.
 
Freshman Megan Do then made it a 2-0 lead with her straight-sets victory over the Privateers' Raluca Puscas, 6-1, 6-3, on court 6. The Privateers managed to cut into Big Red's lead at No. 3 singles, but the Cardinals didn't allow the score to become a rally.
 
LU put a halt to any thoughts of a comeback when another freshman – Emma Shasteen – posted a 6-4, 6-4 decision over UNO's Kate Kalistratova at No. 5 singles.
 
With Shasteen's victory in the books the Cardinals could look to one of three remaining courts for the clincher and didn't have to wait long for the point. Tjon-A-Joe edged out UNO's Didi Bredberg-Canizales, 7-6 (7-2), in tiebreaking fashion in the first set to take an early lead. The second set was just as close but didn't need the extra frame to go final with a 6-4 decision.
 
Tjon-A-Joe took the pressure off the Cardinals with two remaining matches going to a third set. The Red and White split the remaining two matches picking up a Margarita Roshka victory at No. 4 singles for the final score.
 
The Cardinals now await their opening-round opponent in next week's SLC Championships in Corpus Christi.