CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Freshman Kateryna Piatakova's 7-5, 7-5 battle at fourth singles propelled the No. 1 Northwestern State tennis team to a 4-1 win over fifth-seeded Stephen F. Austin in the semi-finals of the Southland Conference Tennis Tournament Saturday afternoon at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Courts at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi University.
 
The Lady Demons (20-5 overall, 11-1 SLC) head to the championship match on Sunday at two o'clock against the winner of the McNeese versus Islanders match in hopes of winning their third tournament championship and NCAA Tournament berth in five years. NSU won last season's tournament 4-1 over top-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to advance to the Alabama Regional.
 
"Our doubles strategy is to play a good solid percentage in doubles," said head coach Patric DuBois. "We like to do the right things, we like to be in the right position, and set each other up like good doubles teams do, and we came out today doing that very well, and we were confident going into singles. I thought we played very well in singles and Stephen F. Austin is very tough, very well coached, and all their girls compete very well. We got away with a good win today."
 
"We're very excited to advance to the finals. It's our goal to win the regular season and win the tournament championship to go to the NCAAs, and we have that opportunity now playing in the finals," said Dubois.
 
Prior to Piatakova's singles win, Natalya Krutova and Tatiana Larina won at fifth and second singles, respectively, to aid in the victory. Krutova defeated Laura Service 6-2, 6-1, and Larina took down Denise Maxl 6-0, 6-1.
 
Polina Konop gave the Ladyjacks (11-11, 7-5) their only point as she fell 6-1, 6-4 to Malena Gordo at No. 1 singles.
 
Konop and Larina combined at first doubles for an easy 8-0 win, followed by Krutova and Piatakova claiming second doubles 8-3 for the first point of the day. Aliona Ladutska and Daniela Simonova led Servise and Valeria Terentyeva 5-4 at No. 3 as the set went unfinished.
 
 
Singles
1. Malena Gordo def. Polina Konop (NSU) 6-1, 6-4
2. Tatiana Larina (NSU) def. Denise Maxl 6-0, 6-1
3. Aliona Ladutska (NSU) vs. Valeria Terentyeva 6-3, 6-6, unfinished
4. Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) def. Julia Lorca 7-5, 7-5
5. Natalya Krutova (NSU) def. Laura Servise 6-2, 6-1
6. Daniela Simonova (NSU) vs. Macarena Acosta 4-6, 5-5, unfinished
 
Doubles
1. Polina Konop/Tatiana Larina (NSU) def. Malena Gordo/Julia Lorca 8-0
2. Natalya Krutova/Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) def. Denise Maxl/Macarena Acosta 8-3
3. Aliona Ladutska/Daniela Simonova (NSU) vs. Laura Servise/Valeria Terentyeva 5-4, unfinished
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,2,1,4)