BEAUMONT, Texas – Led by two-time reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year Katya Lapayeva, the Lamar University women's tennis team prepares for three matches in different venues – home, neutral and away. The Cardinals will open the week with a makeup match against Southland Conference rival Northwestern State Wednesday in Lafayette, La. – the match against the Demons was originally slated to be played in Beaumont before getting postponed due to rain.
 
Winners of six straight, and seven of their last eight contests, the Cardinals (12-4/4-1 SLC) enter the week in a two-way tie for second in the league standings just two wins back of Abilene Christian. Big Red is one of three league teams tied with just one league loss. The Cardinals trail the all-time series, 13-11, against Northwestern State and are coming off a heartbreaking one-point loss last season in Natchitoches.
 
The Demons are 11-5 (.688) on the season and are locked in a two-way tie for fourth in the conference standings. Northwestern State enters the week just a half game back of the Cardinals.
 
Wednesday's match is slated to begin at 11 a.m. from Lafayette, La. Following the match, the Cardinals will prepare for a Saturday showdown against Sam Houston State. The Bearkats enter the week in a tough spot – two-way tie for eighth – in the Southland race. SHSU (6-10/3-4 SLC) is looking to claim a playoff spot as the schedule moves to the stretch run. The Bearkats head into the showdown having won two of their last three outings, including a three-point victory over Central Arkansas. Sam Houston comes to the Golden Triangle just two games back of LU. Saturday's match will begin at 1 p.m. from the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
 
The Red and White close the week with a trip down I-10 to take on Houston. The non-conference match against the Cougars is slated to begin at 2 p.m. The Cougars are 8-10 on the season and have struggled lately. After rattling off three consecutive victories, Houston has responded by dropping the last three and is coming off a three-point decision at BYU.
 
-LU CARDINALS-