SAN ANTONIO – A new season begins on Friday for the McNeese Cowgirl tennis squad when it opens up Southland Conference action against Incarnate Word.
 
First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Mabry Tennis Center.
 
The Cowgirls (1-7-1) played ULM to a 3-3 draw in their last outing this past Saturday, a match that was just points away from a win.
 
McNeese won three of the five singles matches played but dropped the doubles point due to having to forfeit the No. 3 match due to not having enough players to field. The Cowgirls' team of Matilde Mulatero and Sofia San Jose Moreno won the No. 2 doubles match by a 6-3 score.
 
In singles' action, Mulatero cruised to a 6-3-6-0 win in the No. 4 slot. Her 2-0 record for the week led to honorable mention weekly SLC accolades. She and teammate Marija Mastilovic lead the squad with three singles wins on the season.
 
UIW (3-5) has dropped its last two matches by 4-0 scores – at Louisiana Tech on Feb. 22 and vs. Arkansas State on Feb. 23.
 
The Cowgirls have never lost to UIW in the series history, holding a 7-0 lead. McNeese won last year's match by a 7-0 sweep in Lake Charles.
 
Following Friday's match, the Cowgirls will continue to head out west when they visit Abilene Christian in a 10 a.m. match on Sunday before returning home for five straight matches beginning next Friday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.