SAN ANTONIO – Northwestern State picked up the doubles point with a tight win in the third position by Aliona Ladutska and Emily Kerr, but dropped a trio of three-set singles battles and an overall 5-2 decision Sunday at Texas-San Antonio.

The 6-4 triumph by Kerr/Ladutska over Lina Hallgren and Nicole Karaklis coupled with an overpowering 6-1 decision at No. 1 for NSU's Natalya Krutova and Tatiana Larina to open the match well for the Lady Demons (1-6).

But UTSA (4-3) used the homecourt edge to its advantage while pulling out a series of hard-fought singles victories.

"It was a long, hard-fought match. We played better today than we did Saturday. We were more aggressive in doubles," said first-year coach Olga Bazhanova. "It was a good win for Polina (in singles)."

Polina Ivanova prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in the No. 5 position over Hallgren.

Larina was outlasted 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 by UTSA's Jacobea Junger. The other three-set singles decisions going the Roadrunners' way were a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 thriller to Karaklis over
NSU's Barbora Kollarova at No. 4, and a 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 UTSA win by Irene Gandara Gonzalez over Kerr at No. 6.

Even the two-setters were quite competitive for a set. Krutova fell 7-6 (10-8), 6-0 at No. 2 and Ladutska was beaten 6-1, 7-6 in the third position.

After two weekends away from home, NSU will be at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex for the next two weekends. Saturday NSU will play host to Southern Mississippi at 11, and next Sunday, Alabama-Birmingham visits for a noon match.
 
UTSA 5, Northwestern State 2
Feb. 22, 2015 — San Antonio, Texas

Doubles
1. Natalya Krutova/Tatiana Larina (NWLA) def. Jacobea Junger/Alena Shichkova (UTSA) 6-1
2. Daniela Garcia-Diaz/Miriam Rosell Canudas (UTSA) def. Polina Ivanova/Barbora Kollarova (NWLA) 6-2
3. Emily Kerr/Aliona Ladutska (NWLA) def. Lina Hallgren/Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) 6-4

Singles
1. Jacobea Junger (UTSA) def. Tatiana Larina (NWLA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
2. Miriam Rosell Canudas (UTSA) def. Natalya Krutova (NWLA) 7-6 (10-8), 6-0
3. Alena Shichkova (UTSA) def. Aliona Ladutska (NWLA) 6-1, 7-6
4. Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) def. Barbora Kollarova (NWLA) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5
5. Polina Ivanova (NWLA) def. Lina Hallgren (UTSA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
6. Irene Gandara Gonzalez (UTSA) def. Emily Kerr (NWLA) 6-1, 4-6, 6-2

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

Records: Northwestern State (1-6); UTSA (4-3)