NATCHITOCHES – Junior Polina Konop led the Northwestern State women's tennis team as Lady Demons took down Sam Houston State 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.
 
The win improves NSU's record to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in Southland Conference play while the Bearkats drop to 4-8, 0-3.
 
“We managed to win another close match today,” said Lady Demon head coach Patric DuBois. “We played solid doubles to win the point and kept scrapping in all the singles matches to find three more points.”
 
Konop and doubles mate Natalya Krutova grabbed the first doubles victory of the day for the Lady Demons, defeating Natalie Petaia and Sheridan Currie 8-4 at the No. 2 position.
 
Amy Williams and Daniela Simonova finished second in doubles, dropping a close match to Maddie Mortimore and Kayla Stevenson 8-5, tying up the doubles competition.
 
Tatiana Larina and Andrea Nedorostova sealed the doubles point for NSU with an 8-3 victory over Nadia Dubyanskaya and Tatyana Postnikova in the first position.
 
The win brings Larina and Nedorostova's record to 11-2 on the season. Nedorostova increases her career doubles record to 65-9, which ties for the second-best all-time at NSU.
 
The senior also moves to fifth all-time in career singles wins with 56 after taking down Petaia 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the final point of the match.
 
Konop now has a team-best record of 11-2 after defeating SHSU's Imke Jagau 6-0, 6-3 in the first position.
 
Larina grabbed the second singles point for NSU, overcoming Currie 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 in a three-set battle.
 
“The girls all fought hard today,” said DuBois. “Good teams find a way to win in difficult circumstances.”
 
The Lady Demons continue Southland play next Friday as they travel to Stephen F. Austin for an 11 o'clock match at the Schlief Tennis Complex.
 
 
Northwestern State 4, Sam Houston State 3
March 22 at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex
Natchitoches, La.
 
Singles Competition
1. Polina Konop (NSU) def. Imke Jagau 6-0, 6-3
2. Tatiana Larina (NSU) def. Sheridan Currie 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
3. Tatyana Postnikova (SHSU) def. Natalya Krutova 6-3, 6-4
4. Andrea Nedorostova (NSU) def. Natalie Petaia 7-6 (1), 6-3
5. Maddie Mortimore (SHSU) def. Olga Leyshyna 6-3, 6-2
6. Nadia Dubyanskaya (SHSU) def. Daniela Simonova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
 
Doubles Competition
1. Larina/Nedorostova (NSU) def. Dubyanskaya/Postnikova 8-3
2. Konop/Krutova (NSU) def. Petaia/Currie 8-4
3. Mortimore/Kayla Stevenson (SHSU) def. Leyshyna/Amy Williams 8-5