MONROE, La. – The Warhawk tennis team split singles play and added a pair of doubles victories to defeat Lamar University 4-3 at Raymond Heard Stadium on the campus of ULM Saturday afternoon.

ULM (4-3) snapped a two-match overall skid and improved to 3-0 at Heard Stadium on the season with the victory.

The loss marked the second of the season for Lamar (0-2), the defending Southland Conference champions and an NCAA Tournament participant from a year ago. The Cardinals were defeated by nationally-ranked Rice in their only other match of the year.

“It was good to be back home and have the great crowd behind us,” ULM head coach Terrence De Jongh said. “It helped us to start strong and get the win in doubles. When you get that momentum going for you, it makes it much easier when you move to singles. Lamar is a tough team. They won the Southland Conference championship last year and went to the NCAA Tournament. This was a great win for us and was the way we need to play all year.”

The Warhawks opened play by picking up a pair of tandem victories and claiming the all-important doubles point. Sophomore Claire Clark teamed with senior Marion Lehmann to down Carla Nava and Salina Aranda in the third slot, 8-2.

Senior Sharon Makhanya and freshman Monica Winkel gave ULM the early lead with an 8-3 win at number two doubles.

Lehmann would quickly extend the Warhawk lead to 2-0 with a 6-1, 6-2 straight set victory over Aranda in number six singles. Makhanya followed suit with a 6-3, 6-2 win at number three singles.

The Cardinals got on the scoreboard with a 6-1, 6-2 win by Mariaryeni Gutierrez in the top singles position.

Clark clinched the match and improved to 7-0 on the season with her seventh-consecutive straight set victory, 6-0, 7-5, in the fifth slot.

LU would pick up victories in the other two singles positions, including a come-from-behind third set tiebreaker win at number four singles.

ULM will return to the court on Tuesday when it travels to Natchitoches, La., for a 1 p.m. match against in-state foe Northwestern State.

Doubles (3,2*,1)

1. Gutierrez/Gutierrez (LU) def. Ana Burjaili/Satge (ULM) 8-5

2. Makhanya/Winkel (ULM) def. Ashrafi/Kuroda (LU) 8-3

3. Clark/Lehmann (ULM) def. Nava/Aranda (LU) 8-2

Singles (6,3,1,5*,2,4)

1. Mariaryeni Gutierrez (LU) def. Vivian Polak (ULM) 6-1, 6-2

2. Mariantonieta Gutierrez (LU) def. Lena Satge (ULM) 6-2, 6-4

3. Sharon Makhanya (ULM) def. Manijee Ashrafi (LU) 6-3, 6-2

4. Carla Nava (LU) def. Monica Winkel (ULM) 1-6, 7-5, 11-9

5. Claire Clark (ULM) def. Manami Kuroda (LU) 6-0, 7-5