BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals, the highest-scoring women's soccer team in the nation, look to continue their high-flying ways when they host the Nicholls Colonels in the Southland Conference opener for both teams at 7 p.m. Friday at the LU Soccer Complex.
 
The Cardinals wrap up the weekend at Texas State at 1 p.m. Sunday in the final non-conference game of the regular season.
 
The Cardinals (4-4-0) have scored 30 goals over their first eight games, already surpassing last season's total of 20. The school record for goals in a season is 41, set in 2012, Orlando Cervantes' first season as head coach at LU.
 
LU is coming off a record-setting effort in Sunday's 13-0 win over Alcorn State, as the Cardinals set school marks for goals, points (36) and margin of victory. LU also tied a school mark with 10 assists.
 
"We have to carry the momentum from that win into this weekend," Cervantes said. "That was a good game for us. We got some confidence, we were able to give our starters some rest and we had other players step up and show us that they could contribute."
 
Sophomore Alexus Aviles leads the LU offense with 15 points on seven goals and one assist. Aviles leads the Southland Conference in goals and is tied for seventh nationally. She also leads the conference in points, and is 12^th nationally in that category.
 
Senior Mari Olastuen has already tied the LU single-season assist record with five. Olastuen is tied for eighth in the nation in assists.
 
LU is 6-2-0 all-time against Nicholls, but the Colonels (2-3-1) ended their six-year losing streak to the Cardinals with a 2-0 win at the LU Soccer Complex last season. The Nicholls offense is led by Spencer Valdespino, who has four goals this season.
 
The Colonels were picked to finish seventh in the Southland Conference by the SLC coaches and sixth by the league's sports information directors.
 
The Colonels snapped a three-game losing streak with a 10-0 win over Alcorn State on Friday.
 
"Nicholls has improved over the past few seasons," Cervantes said. "Valdespino is a tremendous player. We know this will be a tough game. We're hoping to get great support from our fans."
 
Texas State (4-2-0), a former Southland Conference member, now competes in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bobcats are on a three-game winning streak, the most recent victory a 4-0 decision over Stephen F. Austin on Sunday. Texas State is 2-1 against Southland Conference foes this season, claiming wins over SFA and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, while falling to McNeese State.
 
Lauren Prater leads the Bobcats in scoring with nine points on four goals and one assist. Caitlynn Rinehart has played every second in goal for Texas State, posting a 0.67 goals-against average with three shutouts and a .765 save percentage.
 
"Texas State is playing well right now," Cervantes said. "They are a good defensive team. It will be another good test for us."
 
For ticket information for Friday's home game, call 409-880-1715, or click here.