LAKE CHARLES—The Lady Demon cross country team is headed to a familiar track, as it continues its season at the McNeese Cowboy Stampede on Saturday.

After a week off, the Lady Demons head to the same track they began the season at last month. The men remain training for longer races, starting with next week's meet at Louisiana Tech.

"We just wanted the women to go and get another race in," head coach Payten Vidourek said. "We want to work on some more speed development type stuff. While the guys are off just to prepare themselves for a longer race, I am just looking for the girls to break out in this race."

The last meet was a trip to Texas for the Rice Invitational, where Wood and Thompson continued to lead the pack.

While Wood is not participating in Lake Charles, head coach Payten Vidourek is excited to see the development from the younger players during the meet.

Chesney Mathews, a freshman from Alexandria, ran a 13:01.8 in the 3K at her first career meet at the McNeese Opener last month.

Another one of the underclassmen, Faith Bryant is another who Vidourek is looking forward to seeing the progression of.

"I am eager to see Faith and Chesney run in this race," Vidourek said. "They have been running together well and because Lalaina won't be there, a little bit more weight will be on their shoulders, I am hoping they will kind of break out and maybe get closer to Leah (Thompson).

"I think they can, they just need that race and having the race time in the morning, I think this will help mentally get to where they need to be."

In her opening meet at McNeese, she ran a 13:14.7 in the 3K, finishing 29^th, two spots behind Mathews. She also clocked an 18:02.3 in the 4K at Rice in the last meet.

The eldest member of the team, Leah Thompson, has finished right behind Wood in both the first two meets of the season.

In the previous meet at McNeese this season, she finished 25^th in the 3K at the McNeese Opener, running a 12:32.4. She followed that up with a 46^th place finish at the 4K at the Rice Invitational, clocking a 17:05.4.

Following the meet, both the men and women are competing in the next meet, staying in the state of Louisiana to compete in the Mook 4 Invitational on the campus of Louisiana Tech.