NATCHITOCHES – A doubles sweep and a three-set singles win by Aliona Ladutska helped Northwestern State successfully begin defense of its 2014 Southland Conference women's tennis championship Saturday with a 4-1 win over visiting Central Arkansas, followed by a 5-0 non-conference romp past Grambling.
 
The Lady Demons (4-6 overall, 1-0 in the Southland) lost only seven singles games to the Lady Tigers in the quick triumph following a solid Southland opener that handed UCA (5-1, 0-1) its first loss in its first match since Feb. 14 (due to winter weather).
 
NSU snagged the doubles point as Polina Ivanova and Barbora Kollarova won 8-4 at No. 2 following an 8-1 victory in the top position by Tatiana Larina and Natalya Krutova. Latudska and Emily Kerr notched an 8-4 win at No. 3 to complete the sweep.
 
Ladutska's 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 triumph in the No. 3 singles over UCA's Kristina Horsikyan ended the match.
 
Ivanova gave NSU its second point with a 6-0, 6-1 win at No. 5 singles, followed by Krutova closing out her No. 2 match 6-2, 6-2. UCA stayed alive with Alllison Murphy's 6-3, 6-4 victory at No. 4 over Kollarova, but Ladutska sealed the outcome.
 
"It's very important to start the conference season with the win," said Lady Demons first-year head coach Olga Bazhanova.  "We anticipated pretty well in doubles and used the momentum in singles. UCA moved well at all positions."
 
Against Grambling, Larina (No. 1), Krutova and Maria Vlaskina (No. 5) quickly notched 6-0, 6-0 singles wins, then Kollarova clinched the match with her 6-2, 6-0 No. 3 victory and Kerr finished at No. 4 6-3, 6-2 over Tabitha Nankya.
 
"The girls played smart and used the opportunities to put the pressure on their opponents. It was a good day of tennis and great to have the support of our fans at home," said Bazhanova.
 
NSU will be on the road next weekend for conference matches at Incarnate Word and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and is home again March 19 when Southeast Missouri State visits the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.