The Lamar University men's tennis team will step back on the court Saturday as it prepares for a doubleheader against Alcorn State. The Cardinals are coming off a disappointing weekend and it has nothing to do with wins or losses. The Cardinals (3-2) won their only match of the week – a 6-1 decision over UT Rio Grande Valley – to record their third-straight win and improve to 3-2 (.600) on the season. The disappointment comes in the fact that LU had its match against Southern Mississippi (originally scheduled for last Sunday) canceled due to positive COVID test results and subsequent contract tracing within the Southern Miss program. The cancellation turned LU's season-long four-match homestand into a three-match stretch which wraps up Saturday against the Braves.
The Cardinals have been dominant in their three wins surrendering just three points and outscoring their foes by a combined 18-3 score.
The Braves are 0-4 on the season and have had to deal with similar issues with matches being postponed due to positive COVID results. Alcorn has faced a tough stretch to open the season with doubleheaders against LSU and Tulane before having matches against Southern Mississippi and Jacksonville State postponed.
The Cardinals are a perfect 19-0 all-time against Alcorn. That record includes two wins against the Braves last season shortly before the remainder of the year was called due to the pandemic. Big Red won those matches by a combined score of 13-0. LU is 15-0 all-time against Alcorn in Beaumont.
Saturday's doubleheader, which was originally scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center, has been moved to a 9 a.m. start on the covered courts at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Complex. The second match will begin at approximately 3 p.m. (or one hour following the conclusion of the second match).