After the Lamar University men’s and women’s tennis teams each narrowly advanced out of the Southland Conference semifinals Sunday, neither could capitalize with a championship Monday.
The Cardinal men’s team was first up in a morning match at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center, falling to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi by a 4-1 score. Lamar lost the doubles point, then was defeated on No. 6 and No. 4 singles courts to fall behind 3-0 in the overall match.
Nicolas Mayr, the hero of Sunday’s win, tried to make things interesting for the Cardinals with a victory on No. 2 singles. However, it was too little, too late as Texas A&M-CC won on No. 3 singles soon after, securing the Southland championship in the process.
“We fell just short today in doubles, and then in singles we just couldn’t seem to get the first-set edge against them,” Lamar men’s head coach Scott Shankles said. “In the end, they were able to close matches out when they needed to. That was the big difference in the match.”
The Lamar men’s team ended its season at 11-9 overall and one win short of its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2018.
Lamar’s women’s team didn’t fair much better later in the afternoon against the same opponent, being swept by Texas A&M-CC, 4-0. Not much went right for the Cardinals as they lost the doubles point, then lost three straight matches on Nos. 2, 3 and 4 singles courts.
Coming off consecutive matches in the previous two rounds that each lasted more than four hours, Lamar women’s coach David Wong said his team “simply ran out of gas” Monday in the championship round.
“I don’t think there is anything more that anyone could’ve asked of these young ladies,” Wong said. “No matter the situation, they just continued to fight. Not to take anything way from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, because they have a very talented team and deserved to win, but I think we simply ran out of gas today.”
Lamar’s women’s team entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, then beat New Orleans and Abilene Christian to reach the championship match. The Cardinals ended the year at 10-8 overall.
“I simply don’t have the words to accurately express the effort this team put forth this week,” Wong said. “I’m sorry for them that it had to end.”
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