LAFAYETTE -- The Northwestern State tennis team and first-year head coach Freddy Gomez didn't have a lot of time to get to know each other before season-opening matches at No. 22 LSU and stout Tulane two weekends ago.
 
Time and sunny weather have been on the Lady Demons' side in a productive period in which Gomez and new players have further adjusted to each other ahead of Wednesday's match at UL Lafayette.
 
NSU (0-2) will play the Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) at 3:30 p.m. at Cajun Courts. Fans can follow the team's Twitter account (@NSUDemonsWTN) for updates or can follow ULL's Live Stats at http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=201317
 
"We've had more time to get to know each other, and that's been really helpful over this past week and a half," Gomez said. "These girls are working hard, and we're continuing to establish our standard and work through our process.
 
"This is the time of the season where we're totally focused on ourselves and getting better, and I think we're improving day by day."
 
The Lady Demons had only five healthy players in the first two matches, forfeiting a singles point at the outset of the match.
 
That will be the case again Wednesday as NSU waits for sophomore Judit Castillo to return to play.
 
Polina Mutel has had the best start of the season so far in NSU's No. 1 singles slot. The junior battled No. 47 Elyse Lavender (LSU) in a 6-4, 6-1 loss before pushing Tulane's Sade Atkinson in a 6-4, first-set loss of an unfinished match.
 
NSU lost to LSU and Tulane 7-0 and 4-0, respectively, this season.
 
Sophomore Emilija Dancetovic is one player who's benefitting from increased playing time as she's seeing regular action in the No. 5 position.
 
"I do feel more comfortable now that we've had a chance to really practice," Dancetovic said. "We're getting to know Freddy better, and he's really working with us to improve our game."
 
ULL squeaked by fellow SLC member Southeastern in a 4-3 decision before sweeping NAIA member LSU Alexandria, 4-0.
 
NSU swept ULL, 4-0, in 2017 and have won the last four meetings dating back to 2012.
 
The Lady Demons are on the third of a seven-match road trip before playing in their home opener Feb. 17-18 against Texas State and UT San Antonio.