CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – After securing the doubles point and taking a 2-0 lead in the Southland Conference Tennis Tournament Championship match, the Northwestern State tennis team dropped four straight singles matches for a 4-2 loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Sunday afternoon at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center.
 
The Lady Demons end the season at 20-6 overall for the program's second 20-win season, and as the Southland regular-season co-champions alongside the Islanders (22-5).
 
This season's regular-season championship was the fourth overall for the program, with previous titles in 2010, 1994 and 1989.
 
"This was a very good match today under tough, windy conditions. A lot of credit goes to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for the game plan they had and the way they executed," said head coach Patric DuBois. "They simply out-played us today."
 
The match was a battle from the start, beginning with a tough doubles battle. The Islanders' Maider Martina and Celia Rodriguez defeated Natalya Krutova and Kateryna Piatakova 8-2 in the No. 2 slot to get ahead early. Polina Konop and Tatiana Larina answered with an 8-4 victory at first doubles, followed by Aliona Ladutska and Daniela Simonova picking up third 8-5 over Stefania Nicolae and Kerry Galhos.
 
Konop put the Lady Demons up 2-0 with a quick 6-1, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles, but the Islanders came back with four straight wins for the overall victory.
 
Martin took down Ladutska 6-3, 6-0 at third and Galhos handed Simonova a 6-1, 6-2 decision to even the score at two. Krutova fought at No. 5 to take the lead for NSU, but fell in the tiebreaker with scores of 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Piatakova's 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) loss at fourth singles was the ultimate decision maker.
 
Tatiana Larina sat tied with Judit Vives 5-7. 6-3 as the match went unfinished.
 
"I am very proud of the way we competed today and the season we had," said DuBois. "The girls worked very hard, and to have a regular-season championship and a tournament final berth is certainly a great season."
 
Singles
1. Polina Konop (NSU) def. Stefania Nicolae 6-1, 6-3
2. Tatiana Larina (NSU) vs. Judit Vives 5-7, 6-3, unfinished
3. Maider Martin def. Aliona Ladutska (NSU) 6-3, 6-0
4. Celia Rodriguez def. Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
5. Sandra Burges def. Natalya Krutova (NSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
6. Kerry Galhos def. Daniela Simonova (NSU) 6-1, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Polina Konop/Tatiana Larina (NSU) def. Sandra Burges/Judit Vives 8-4
2. Maider Martin/Celia Rodriguez def. Natalya Krutova/Kateryna Piatakova (NSU) 8-2
3. Aliona Ladutska/Daniela Simonova (NSU) def. Stefania Nicolae/Kerry Galhos 8-5
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,3,6,5,4)