ABILENE, Texas—Northwestern State's league-leading women's tennis team challenged early singles deficits, but couldn't overcome resilient Abilene Christian in a 4-3 loss Friday that was the first Southland Conference defeat for the Lady Demons.

ACU (11-7 overall, 5-3 in the Southland) interrupted NSU's seven-match winning streak at Eager Tennis Center in a tight three-hour battle.

The Lady Demons (11-6, 7-1) started the day capturing a hard-fought doubles point, but the Wildcats took narrow decisions in the Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 6 singles slots to prevail.

The outcome didn't dislodge NSU from the Southland lead as second-place McNeese (6-1 in the conference) has only one league contest this weekend, Saturday at Central Arkansas, and can only tie NSU for the top spot with a win. Three matches remain on the regular-season schedule.

No. 2 tandem Judit Castillo and Kateryna Avram broke free of a 5-all deadlock and clinched the doubles point 7-5. Foreshadowing the intensely-contested singles play, the decisive match came after Polina Mutel and Polina Ivanova of NSU posted a 6-3 triumph at No. 1, and ACU followed suit with a 6-3 triumph in the No. 3 position.

The Wildcats revealed their fire in singles play, claiming first-set victories in five positions.

"ACU played well and executed a good plan," head coach Patric DuBois said. "We were inconsistent in some positions and in our ability to control points.

"We had several opportunities today that we did not take advantage of. These are the things we work on and need to do all the time."

Squaring the overall score 1-1, ACU's Autumn Crossnoe garnered the first singles point over NSU singles wins' leader Judit Castillo 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 5 position.

Ivanova put NSU back in the lead, recovering from a 6-4 first-set loss to dominate 6-3, 6-1 against Whitney Williams who led the Southland's No. 2 players last year with a 10-0 mark and earned a 2017 all-conference first-team honor in doubles.

This victory tied Ivanova with Daniela Posada (51-26 from 2006-09) for the No. 10 spot for most singles wins in Lady Demon history with a 51-25 overall record.

"Polina played solid doubles and singles against very quality opponents," DuBois said. "I'm very proud of how she has expanded her game and is able to find different ways to win.

"She has continued to improve all four years and has earned such a place in the history of our storied tennis program."

ACU tied the match 2-2 after Mutel nearly forced a third set, but fell 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) to Lucile Pothier, who received a 2017 Southland Conference first-team award in doubles.

Ileana Mocciola, ranked No. 6 in Argentina in both singles and doubles, prevailed over NSU's Kateryna Avram in the No. 6 match, 7-5, 6-4 to put ACU in the lead, 3-2. Ranked No. 142 in Europe, Nini Memishishi scored the Wildcat clinch by returning from a 6-4 first-set loss to prevail 6-2, 6-1 over Emilija Dancetovic at No. 3.

Iwaniuk narrowed the final margin against ACU's Sarah Adams at No. 4, overcoming a 6-1 first-set defeat to capture the ensuing two sets 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).

"ACU won a very good college match today," DuBois said. "We have to get back to it this weekend and work on a few things to prepare for our next match."

NSU will play a rescheduled match against Louisiana Tech on Monday at 1 p.m. at the Louisiana Tech Tennis Complex. and then will host its final two home matches next weekend. The Lady Demons host two-time defending league champion Texas A&M Corpus Christi next Saturday at 11 a.m. and UIW a day later at the same time at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.

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Abilene Christian 4, Northwestern State 3

Eager Tennis Center

Abilene, Texas

Singles competition

1. Lucile Pothier (ACU) def. Polina Mutel 6-3, 7-6 (8-6)

2. Polina Ivanova (NSU) def. Whitney Williams 4-6, 6-3, 6-1

3. Nini Memishishi (ACU) def. Emilija Dancetovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-1

4. Ela Iwaniuk (NSU) def. Sarah Adams 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)

5. Autumn Crossnoe (ACU) def. Judit Castillo 6-3, 6-4

6. Ileana Mocciola (ACU) def. Kateryna Avram 7-5, 6-4

Doubles competition

1. Polina Ivanova/Polina Mutel (NSU) def. Lucile Pothier/Whitney Williams (ACU) 6-3

2. Kateryna Avram/Judit Castillo (NSU) def. Sarah Adams/Nini Memishishi (ACU) 7-5

3. Ileana Mocciola/Autumn Crossnoe (ACU) def. Emilija Dancetovic/Ela Iwaniuk (NWST) 6-3

Match Notes:

Northwestern State 11-6 (7-1 SLC)

Abilene Christian 11-7 (5-3 SLC)

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

T-3:15 A-50