NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State tennis team capped off a perfect 3-0 weekend, posting a 4-3 victory over Louisiana Tech on Sunday afternoon.
 
Sophomore Polina Mutel clinched the match for the Lady Demons, taking out the Lady Techsters' Nadja Manjon 6-4, 7-5 with three singles matches still going. Mutel fell behind 3-1 early in the first set, but rallied to take the 1-0 with a 6-4 finish. Mutel and Chen battled to a 5-5 tie midway through the second set. Supported by the crowd, Mutel powered through the next two game to win 7-5, giving NSU the 4-0 lead.
 
"I'm very proud of the way she competed and found a way to win," head coach Olga Bazhanova said. "We had a big crowd, it was awesome to see the impact the noise had on our girls."
 
In doubles, freshmen Kateryna Avram and Vladislava Litvinova dispatched Nadja Manjon and Jill van den Dungen 6-4, securing the point for Northwestern State.
 
Junior Polina Ivanova and freshman Emilija Dancetovic brought the score to 1-1 in doubles, beating Sonia Chen and Marta Sramkova 6-2.
 
In singles, the only three returners from the 2016 roster went 1-2-3 to give NSU the 4-0 lead.
 
First, Ivanova pushed the lead to 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jazmin Britos on court one.
 
Sophomore Iryna Vardanian followed suit, posting a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Chen on court two.
 
"It's nice to finish off the weekend the way we did," Bazhanova said. "The girls will get Monday off to recover and focus on classes."
 
Following Mutel's clinch on court three, the three starting freshmen, Dancetovic, Litvinova and Judit Castillo dropped each of their matches.
 
Both Dancetovic and Castillo went into a third set, but neither were able to overcome their opponents. Dancetovic lost 6-1, 5-7, 7-5 while Castillo lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
 
The Lady Demons will hit the road again next weekend, traveling to Texas State Saturday and University of Texas San Antonio on Sunday.
 
Follow team updates all season on Twitter @NSUdemonsWTN.

 

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Northwestern State 4, Louisiana Tech 3

Singles competition
1. Polina Ivanova (NSU) def. Jazmin Britos 6-4, 6-2
2. Iryna Vardanian (NSU) def. Sonia Chen  6-3, 6-3
3. Polina Mutel (NSU) def. Nadja Manjon  6-4, 7-5
4. Marta Sramkova (LATECH) def. Emilija Dancetovic 6-1, 5-7, 7-5
5. Alba Escalona Perny (LATECH) def. Vladislava Litvinova 6-4, 6-4
6. Jill van den Dungen (LATECH) def. Judit Castillo 2-6, 6-4, 6-2

 Doubles competition
1. Jazmin Britos/Alba Escalona Perny (LATECH) def. Polina Mutel/Iryna Vardanian  6-2
2. Emilija Dancetovic/Polina Ivanova (NSU) def. Sonia Chen/Marta Sramkova  6-2
3. Kateryna Avram/Vladislava Litvinova (NSU) def. Nadja Manjon/Jill van den Dungen 6-4

Match Notes:
Louisiana Tech 4-4
Northwestern State 3-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,2,3,5,6,4)
T-3:17 A-183