NATCHITOCHES – A key battle in the Southland Conference women's tennis standings, and the final homecourt appearances for senior captain Olga Bazhanova, provide the storylines this weekend for the Northwestern State Lady Demons in their final two matches of 2012 at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex, Friday at 11 against Lamar and Saturday at 11 against McNeese State.
 
The Lady Demons, with four freshmen in the singles lineup, are 11-3 overall and 5-2 in the Southland, half a win out of a third-place tie with Texas-Arlington, whom NSU has already edged 4-3. Stephen F. Austin (7-0) and Texas State (6-1), the only two conference teams to top Northwestern, are the league leaders heading down the stretch in the conference race.
 
Lamar (8-8 overall, 4-3 in the SLC) remains in contention for a high finish in the standings. McNeese has a 3-12 overall record, 1-6 in the SLC, heading into a Friday match at last-place Central Arkansas.
 
“Friday is a very big match for us, and we will need to play very well to beat Lamar,” said Lady Demon coach Patric DuBois. “As always, doubles play is a key. Getting that point gives you a big advantage and these should be good doubles matches.
 
“Saturday will be a bittersweet day with our senior ceremony honoring Olga Bazhanova. A coach could never ask for a better leader, a more competitive player, a harder worker, and a great example of what all of our freshmen should aspire to be, than what we've gotten from her this season and during her entire career here,” he said. “I'm sure some tears will be shed, but we'll gather ourselves and get down to business afterward.”
 
Bazhanova is three singles wins away from 10^th all time with a 46-28 career mark that includes a career-best 11-3 this season. She is 35-17 at No. 1 over the last three seasons, including the 2010 Southland Conference championship campaign.
 
She ranks fourth in all-time doubles wins at NSU with a 60-19 record, including a sparkling 13-1 mark at No. 1 with freshman Polina Konop this season. Karen Patel at 63, Kathrin Lange at 65 and Bianca Schulz at 67 are the only Lady Demons ahead of her on the career top 10.