NATCHITOCHES—Rhea Verma remained undefeated in conference action, but it wasn't enough, as the Northwestern State Lady Demons tennis team saw Abilene Christian clinch the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament with a 5-2 victory Friday at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.

It is the second consecutive defeat for NSU (16-5 overall, 8-2 Southland) after starting the season 16-3.

"This was a very good college match today," head coach Patric DuBois said. "Unfortunately, we came up a bit short. ACU has a very solid team and are well-coached."

The Lady Demons still have a chance to share the conference title. Northwestern State has to win Sunday against Incarnate Word and have ACU lose at both Central Arkansas and McNeese to capture a share of the conference title.

It is the first women's tennis conference title for ACU (13-8, 9-0) after finishing in the top five every year since 2014, including runner-up in 2016 and 2017.

Verma dropped her first set against Sarah Adams at No. 2, 6-2, but bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-4, to claim the match and remain perfect in conference play at 10-0. With the triumph, she moved into a tie with Ela Iwaniuk for the team lead in victories with 15.

Junior Judit Castillo Gargallo moved to 6-2 in Southland action with a convincing 6-4, 6-3, win against Ileana Mocciola at No. 6. Heading into the match, Mocciola was a perfect 7-0 in conference, but Castillo Gargallo was in control virtually throughout and came through with the triumph in straight sets.

The Wildcats began play by winning two of three doubles matches to earn the point. NSU won at No. 3 with Iwaniuk and Emilija Dancetovic 6-2 over Mocciola and Autumn Bellow, but it was sandwiched in between two ACU victories at Nos. 2 and 1. Adams and Nini Memishishi clinched the point when they finished off Polina Mutel and Maria Skyba 6-3 at No. 1.

ACU's lead grew to 3-0 with decisive victories at No. 3 and 5. Allison Stewart remained perfect in conference play with a 6-2, 6-3 triumph against Antonia Blattner at No. 5, while Polanska fell 6-4, 6-2, to Bellow at No. 3.

Castillo Gargallo tried to kickstart a comeback with her win against Mocciola, but ACU took the next two to clinch at least a share of the title.

Iwaniuk lost for the first time in conference action with a 6-4, 6-4, defeat at the hands of Jordan Henry at No. 4, and Skyba dropped a tough three-set match against Memishishi. Skyba won the first set 6-4, but fell 6-2, 6-3, in the next two sets to make it 5-1.

Verma's three-set win provided the final point of the day.

"I was happy with the way we played coming back from our loss against Stephen F. Austin," Dubois said. "It was just not enough today to overcome a very tenacious and disciplined ACU team."

The Lady Demons wrap up the regular season Sunday when Incarnate Word visits Natchitoches for Senior Day, where NSU will honor Mutel, the lone senior on the roster. The Southland Conference Tournament begins April 25 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
 

Abilene Christian 5, Northwestern State 2 
Women's Tennis at Natchitoches, La. – (Jack Fisher Tennis Complex) 
Singles 
1. Nini Memishishi (ACU) def. Maria Skyba 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 
2. Rhea Verma (NSU) def. Sarah Adams 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 
3. Autumn Bellow (ACU) def. Patrycja Polanska 6-4, 6-2 
4. Jordan Henry (ACU) def. Ela Iwaniuk 6-4, 6-4 
5. Allison Stewart (ACU) def. Antonia Blattner 6-2, 6-3 
6. Judit Castillo Gargallo (NSU) def. Ileana Mocciola 6-4, 6-3 
 

Doubles 
1. Nini Memishishi/Sarah Adams (ACU) def. Polina Mutel/Maria Skyba 6-3 
2. Jordan Henry/Allison Stewart (ACU) def. Patrycja Polanska/Rhea Verma 6-2 
3. Ela Iwaniuk/Emilija Dancetovic (NSU) def. Ileana Mocciola/Autumn Bellow 6-2 
 

Match Notes:
Abilene Christian 13-8 overall, 9-0 Southland 
Northwestern State 16-5 overall, 8-2 Southland 
Order of finish: 
Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (5,3,6,4,1,2) 
T-2:45 A-5