NATCHITOCHES – Three matches in two days at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex present challenges and opportunities for the young Northwestern State Lady Demon tennis team.
 
NSU (0-4), with the start of Southland Conference play ahead next Sunday, faces former Southland rivals Texas-San Antonio and Texas State, and hosts Alcorn State, Friday and Saturday.
 
The Lady Demons battle UTSA Friday at noon. Saturday morning at 9:30, NSU hosts Texas State. Texas State and Alcorn square off at 12:30 with the Lady Demons facing Alcorn State at 3:30 Saturday afternoon.
 
"We are looking forward to this weekend. We have strong teams coming in and it's going to be good tennis," said Lady Demon coach Olga Bazhanova. "UTSA and Texas State are well coached teams and we have to play smart to win."
 
UTSA has a 3-4 record including losses to Southland members Stephen F. Austin (4-3 on the road), Abilene Christian (5-3 on the road) and A&M Corpus Christi (4-0 in San Antonio), and a win at crosstown foe Incarnate Word (6-1). The Roadrunners played Thursday at UL Lafayette and visit McNeese State Saturday.
 
Texas State (1-4) is visiting Louisiana Tech Friday before coming to NSU for Saturday's action. Coached by former Lady Demon standout Tory Plunkett, the Bobcats beat Incarnate World 6-1, but lost to two other Southland members, McNeese and Nicholls. Plunkett won two Gulf Star Conference championships for coach Johnnie Emmons in 1985-86 before transferring to TCU to finish her playing career, and was named to the Southwest Conference All-Decade Team.
 
Alcorn State (0-6) dropped a pair of matches to Southland member Southeastern Louisiana.
 
The Lady Demons fell 4-3 last Saturday at Southern Mississippi. Senior Natalya Krutova is 2-2 in singles and 2-0 in doubles (with Iryna Vardanian) in the No. 1 positions.
 
Krutova has a career 53-17 singles record and is one win away from tying Babette Cramer (53-36 when her career ended in 1988) for eighth all-time in school history. Last year's senior captain, Tatiana Larina, is seventh on the career singles wins list (55-28).
 
In doubles, Krutova has tied N-Club Hall of Fame member Shayne Fitzwilliam (55-19 from 1986-89) for ninth on the career list. Adna Curukovic (57-26 from 2008-11) and Barbara Tons (57-13 from 1986-89) are tied for seventh.