BEAUMONT, Texas – Fresh off their thrilling 4-3 win at Nicholls, which saw Lamar University win four singles matches in a third set, the Cardinals now set their sights on consecutive league wins as it plays host to UT Rio Grande Saturday (1 p.m.) followed by an 11 a.m. match Monday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Both matches are scheduled doubleheaders with the LU men's team.
 
The Cardinals' (8-7/1-4 SLC) are currently ninth in the conference standings but due to how tightly packed the league is in the early going a productive weekend could see Big Red make a huge step forward. The Cardinals are just a loss back of New Orleans in the standings and only two back of Saturday's opponent.
 
The all-time series between Lamar and UT Rio Grande Valley (formerly UTPA) has favored Big Red. The Cardinals are 19-9 (.679) all-time against the Vaqueros, a mark which includes a 12-4 (.750) record in Beaumont, but UTRGV has won three of the past four meetings (all three of those wins have come in Edinburg).
 
The Cardinals will be back on the court Monday to square off against the Islanders. A&M-Corpus Christi is 12-3 (.800) on the season but has split its last four matches to sit at 2-2 in Southland play 1.5 ahead of LU in the standings. The Islanders have had the upper hand in the series posting a 10-17 (.370) all-time record but LU is 7-5 (.583) when the two meet in the Golden Triangle.