HOUSTON -- In her first tournament as a collegiate competitor, Northwestern State freshman Maria Skyba won her two matches to capture Flight 10 of the singles portion at the Rice Invitational Sunday afternoon.
 
Skyba defeated USF's Selin Yaylali 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, to advance to the Flight 10 finals before knocking off UTSA's Sophie Omoworare (6-3, 6-2) to win the flight.
 
After winning her first singles match on Friday, reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year Polina Mutel fell twice on Sunday, losing to USF's Nicole Dzenga and then to Alabama's Jacqueline Pelletier to finish fourth in Flight 4.
 
Juniors Ela Iwaniuk and Emilija Dancetovic were defeated in both of their matches Sunday. Iwaniuk lost to North Texas' Ivana Babic and Alabama's Kim Gintrand, while Dancetovic fell to Stephen F. Austin's Gabriela Guilarte and Houston's Stephanie Belovukovic Sunday afternoon.
 
"We saw some improvement as the weekend went on," head coach Patric DuBois said. "We certainly have some things we need to work on this week before our tournament at ULL Friday."
 
They are back in action next weekend at the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
 
Here are Saturday's full results for NSU's entries in the Rice Invitational:
 
SINGLES
Flight 4 
Nicole Dzenga (USF) d. Polina Mutel (NSU) d. 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Jacqueline Pelletier (Ala.) d. Polina Mutel (NSU) 7-6, 6-1
 
Flight 5
Ivana Babic (UNT) d. Ela Iwaniuk (NSU) 6-2, 6-1
Kim Gintrand (Ala.) d. Ela Iwaniuk (NSU) 6-7, 7-6, 10-4
 
Flight 6
Gabriela Guilarte (SFA) d. Emilija Dancetovic (NSU) 2-6, 6-0, 10-5
Stephanie Belovukovic (UH) d. Emilija Dancetovic (NSU) 6-3, 6-1
 
Flight 10
Maria Skyba (NSU) d. Selin Yaylali (USF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1
Maria Skyba (NSU) d. Sophie Omoworare (UTSA) 6-3, 6-2