BEUMONT, Texas – As Lamar University prepares for the stretch run, the Cardinals will host Texas A&M-Commerce before facing a three-match road swing. LU will host the Lions Thursday at McDonald Gym before hitting the road for a Saturday match at Northwestern State.
 
The Cardinals (7-13/1-8 SLC) put a stop to an eight-match slide last Thursday when they avenged an earlier week loss to New Orleans to take the season series, 3-1 (only two of the matches against the Privateers were conference matches). Big Red will look to make it two wins in their last three outings when they host A&M-Commerce.
 
LU enters the week tied for ninth in the league standings just two wins back of UIW. A&M-Commerce has found some success during their inaugural run through the league. The Lions are 9-14 overall and currently locked in four-way tie for fourth in the league standings with a 5-4 record.
 
The Lions took the only other meeting between the two schools, 3-1, which came earlier this season in Commerce. Thursday's match is slated for 6 p.m. start from McDonald Gym.
 
Big Red will then hit the road for three straight beginning Saturday at Northwestern State (12-8/5-4 SLC). The Demons are also tied for fourth in the league having won two of the previous three matches but are coming off a 3-1 loss at Texas A&M-Commerce over the weekend.
 
The Cardinals have the upper hand in the all-time series, 25-17, but the Demons have had the advantage lately. Northwestern State has won 12 of the previous 13 meetings between the two schools with the lone LU win coming in February of 2021 (the 2020 season that was pushed to spring 2021 semester due to COVID).
 
Saturday's match is set to begin at 6 p.m. from Prather Gym in Natchitoches, La.