DALLAS, Texas – The Lamar University men's tennis team scheduled one of the toughest opening days in the country Saturday by traveling to Dallas, Texas to take on No. 7 Mississippi State and SMU. Unfortunately, Lamar fell by the same score in each match, 6-1.
 
The final score does not tell the whole story as Lamar picked up key singles wins in both matches, including freshman Rintaro Shukuda knocking off the nation's 34^th-ranked singles player. The Cardinals also pushed three matches to a third set and one set that went to a tiebreaker.  
 
Lamar put up a strong fight in the opening match of the day going toe-to-toe against the nation's seventh-ranked team – Mississippi State. After dropping the doubles point with losses on courts 1 and 2, the Cardinals battled back with a thrilling three-set match at No. 3 singles to get on the scoreboard.
 
Shukuda dropped his opening set, 6-1, to Mississippi State's Hernandez Cortes who entered the day ranked 34^th-ranked nationally in singles. Despite the opening-set loss, Shukuda battled right back taking the second set, 6-4, to force a third. Shukuda managed to grab a lead in the third and held on to defeat the Bulldogs' Cortes, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.
 
Unfortunately, the Cardinals could get no closer dropping the five-point decision.
 
In the evening tilt, Big Red squared off against SMU in front of their home crowd. The Mustangs took the opening 1-0 lead after doubles but after the Mustangs extended the advantage before Lamar mounted a rally behind sophomore Lukas Hamacher. The German native bounced SMU's Noah McDonald in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5.
 
In addition to Hamacher's victory, Lamar picked up opening set wins behind junior Leon Nickel (No. 1 singles) and sophomore Maxwell Lindstedt (No. 3) looking to tie the overall match at three. Unfortunately, SMU battled back on both courts with 6-2 scores to force a third set. The Mustangs managed to take the final set on both courts for the final score.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday, Jan. 17, when they travel to Waco, Texas to take on Baylor in a doubleheader. The first match against the Bears is slated for a noon start followed by the second at 6 p.m.