NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State tennis team picked up two wins on Sunday over non-conference opponents, the first in a 4-3 battle with Texas-San Antonio, and later in a 7-0 shutout of Prairie View A&M, both at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.

With the wins, the Lady Demons improve to 5-3 on the season as UTSA falls to 5-6 and the Panthers drop to 0-2.

"After a very tough four-hour win over UTSA and a 30-minute break, we had to dig down deep to play well in all positions to defeat Prairie View in each match," said head coach Patric DuBois. "It was a very exciting and back-and-forth type of match with UTSA, and either team could have won. We had several chances to win a couple of our matches in straight sets, but UTSA fought hard and hung in there to take the last three sets."

Against UTSA, Aliona Ladutska and Daniela Simonova combined at No. 3 doubles to defeat Isabelle Jonsson and Lina Hallgren 8-7, 11-9 to break the 1-1 tie and claim the doubles point. Polina Konop and Tatiana Larina dropped an 8-5 decision to Jacobea Junger and Miranda Poile at first doubles, before Natalya Krutova and Kateryna Piatakova took down Daniela Garcia-Diaz and Alena Shichkova 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.

Ladutska followed her doubles performance with the first singles win of the day in the fifth slot, taking down Hallgren 6-2, 6-2. Konop finished next at first singles over Junger 6-3, 6-4, followed by Larina dropping at No. 2 6-4, 6-2.

Krutova and Piatakova were victorious at third and fourth singles, both winning in the tie-breaker 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 and 6-4, 6-7, 6-2, respectively.

Simonova dropped a tough one at sixth singles to Irene Gonzalez 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

"Natalya and Kateryna really played well under pressure in the third sets of their matches to help us clinch the victory," said DuBois. "The table was set by Ladustska and Simonova in doubles as they came back from a 7-4 deficit to clinch the doubles point."

Against the Panthers, Petya Simeonova and Amy Williams took the No. 3 doubles slot over Payton Gore and Maria Lackey 8-0, followed by Ladutska and Simonova claiming second doubles 8-2, allowing NSU to claim the first point of the match. Konop and Larina were leading Brittany Harrell and Taylor LeFridge 4-3 at first doubles when competition was halted for singles play.

Willams, Simeonova and Piatakova secured wins at sixth, fifth and fourth singles to claim the program's second victory of the day, taking wins from Young, Lackey and Gore with scores of 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-0, respectively.

Krutova defeated Harrell at No. 2 singles in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0, followed by Ladutska at third singles with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Sydney Thomas.

Konop rounded out the match with a 7-5, 6-0 win over LeFridge.

The Lady Demons host Texas State at 10 a.m. and Grambling at two o'clock next Sunday at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex, before starting Southland Conference play at Abilene Christian on March 8.


Northwestern State 4, UTSA 3

Singles competition
1. Jacobea Junger (UTSA) def. Polina Konop 6-3, 6-4
2. Miranda Poile (UTSA) def. Tatiana Larina 6-4, 6-2
3. Natalya Krutova (NSU) def. Isabelle Jonsson 6-1, 5-7, 6-2
4. Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) def. Nicole Karaklis 6-4, 6-7, 6-2
5. Aliona Ladutska (NSU) def. Lina Hallgren 6-2, 6-2
6. Irene Gonzalez (UTSA) def. Daniela Simonova 3-6, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles competition
1. Jacobea Junger/Miranda Poile (UTSA) def. Polina Konop/Tatiana Larina 8-5
2. Natalya Krutova/Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) def. Daniela Garcia-Diaz/Alena Shichkova 8-2
3. Aliona Ladutska/Daniela Simonova (NSU) def. Isabelle Jonsson/Lina Hallgren 8-7, 11-9
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,1,2,3,4,6)

Northwestern State 7, Prairie View A&M 0

Singles competition
1. Polina Konop (NSU) def. Taylor LeFridge 7-5, 6-0
2. Natalya Krutova (NSU) def. Brittany Harrell 6-0, 6-0
3. Aliona Ladutska (NSU) def. Sydney Thomas 6-1, 6-3
4. Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) def. Payton Gore 6-1, 6-0
5. Petya Simeonova (NSU) def. Maria Lackey 6-0, 6-1
6. Amy Williams (NSU) def. Alexandria Young 6-1, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Polina Konop/Tatiana Larina (NSU) def. Brittany Harrell/Taylor LeFridge 4-3
2. Aliona Ladutska/Daniela Simonova (NSU) def. Erika Bond/Alexandria Young 8-2
3. Petya Simeonova/Amy Williams (NSU) def. Payton Gore/Maria Lackey 8-0

Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (6,5,4,2,3,1)