BEAUMONT, Texas – Northwestern State's gritty run to the championship match of the Southland Conference Women's Tennis Tournament was halted Sunday by regular-season champion McNeese, whose aggressiveness produced a 4-1 victory in the finals.
 
The Cowgirls (18-3) avenged their only Southland defeat, a 4-3 homecourt loss to NSU (16-9) on March 9 in Lake Charles. McNeese took control quickly in doubles play and secured that point, then never trailed while putting away the match in 2:21 at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center.
 
The Lady Demons' point was notched by their only senior, Polina Ivanova, winning 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2 singles to briefly square the match score at 1-all. It was her 57^th career dual match singles victory, standing her seventh in school history in career wins.
 
NSU's 16 wins this season is the third-best single-year dual match total in the 41-year history of the program, topped only by 20 wins in 2010 and 1014, and 18 in 2011. The tournament finals appearance was the seventh in nine seasons this decade by the Lady Demons.
 
McNeese secured its first-ever Southland Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth in its first trip to the conference tournament championship match. The Cowgirls posted straight set singles wins, in order, at Nos. 6, 5 and 1 to end the contest.
 
"It was a tough match today," said Lady Demons coach Patric DuBois. "A lot of credit to McNeese as they were very aggressive in doubles and singles. They simply outplayed us to earn this championship."
 
McNeese jumped on top closing out the doubles in 40 minutes. Charlene Erlandsson and Phonexay Chitdara won 6-2 at No. 3 over Elilija Dancetovic and Ela Iwaniuk, then Giovanna Fioretti and Marija Mastilovic closed out the No. 2 match 6-4 over Kateryna Avram and Judit Castillo.
 
Ivanova made quick work of Sarah Jurakova 6-2, 6-1 before the bottom of the McNeese lineup gave the regular-season champions control. Chitdara put away Avram 6-3, 6-1 in the sixth position and Erlandsson dumped Castillo 6-4, 6-2 at No. 5 for a 3-1 advantage.
 
Unlike in their quarterfinal and semifinal wins, the Lady Demons couldn't come back from that deficit Sunday. Fioretti held off Polina Mutel, NSU's junior who won Southland Player of the Year honors, by 6-4, 6-3 for the championship point.
 
The NSU squad made its mark on Lady Demon tennis history with an active roster of only six players, boding well for next season when five return and the squad will be bolstered by new recruits, said DuBois.
 
McNeese 4, Northwestern State 1
Southland Conference Women's Tennis Tournament
Championship Match
April 29, 2018 at Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center
 
Singles competition
1. Giovanna Fioretti (MCN) def. Polina Mutel 6-4, 6-3
2. Polina Ivanova (NSU) def. Sarah Jurakova 6-2, 6-1
3. Hannah Brett (MCN) vs. Emilija Dancetovic  6-1, 1-6, 5-4, unfinished
4. Marija Mastilovic (MCN) vs. Ela Iwaniuk  3-6, 4-5, unfinished
5. Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) def. Judit Castillo 6-4, 6-2
6. Phonexay Chitdara (MCN) def. Kateryna Avram  6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Sarah Jurakova/Hannah Brett (MCN) vs. Polina Ivanova/Polina Mutel  5-4, unfinished
2. Giovanna Fioretti/Marija Mastilovic (MCN) def. Kateryna Avram/Judit Castillo  6-4
3. Charoline Erlandsson/Phonexay Chitdara (MCN) def. Emilija Dancetovic/Ela Iwaniuk 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Northwestern State 16-9
McNeese 18-3 (advances to NCAA Tournament)
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (2,6,5,1)
T-2:21 A-113