BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's tennis team hits the road for two key Southland Conference matches. The Cardinals will travel down I-10 Saturday for an afternoon contest against rival McNeese, followed by a Sunday match in Thibodaux, La. against Nicholls.
 
The Cardinals (3-13/1-6 SLC) enter the week currently on the outside looking in regarding the chase for the conference tournament. The Cardinals are 11^th in the standings, a half match up on Stephen F. Austin, and only a half match back of Nicholls and Southeastern Louisiana (both schools LU has yet to play). The league takes the top eight teams to the tournament and the Cardinals are currently 1.5 matches out of that final playoff spot.
 
It has been a tough stretch for the youthful Cardinals over the season's past two weeks. LU has dropped five straight, since a shutout victory over Laredo Junior College on March 14^th. The Cardinals jumped out to a great start in league play defeating Stephen F. Austin, 4-3, but have struggled to find the winner's circle since.
 
The Cowgirls are currently in a two-way tie for first in the league standings with a 12-3 (.800) record and a 7-1 (.875) conference mark. McNeese has won six of its past seven outings but is coming off a 7-0 loss at Rice. Saturday's match will begin at 1 p.m. from the Nancy Hank Tennis Center in Lake Charles.
 
The Colonels (11-8/2-6 SLC) are ninth in the league standings a match out of the eighth and final playoff spot, and a half match up on LU. Nicholls has caught fire recently winning three straight entering the weekend. The Colonels will host Sam Houston State before returning to the court to square off against Big Red.
 
Sunday's match against the Colonels is slated to begin at 11 a.m. from the Colonel Tennis Complex in Thibodaux, La.
 
-LU CARDINALS-