HUNTSVILLE, Texas—With Northwestern State's perfect Southland Conference record on the line, Rhea Verma provided the winning point for the second time in league play as the Lady Demons team came back from a 3-1 deficit to knock off Sam Houston State 4-3 Friday at the McAdams Tennis Center.

The Lady Demons (16-3 overall, 8-0 Southland) won their fourth straight match and equaled both their overall and conference victory totals from last season. The 16 wins ties for the third most in a season in the 42-year history of the program.

NSU maintained its solo hold on the conference lead with three matches left, aiming for its first Southland regular-season championship since 2014 and the third this decade (also in 2010). It was the third come-from-behind triumph in conference play this spring by the Lady Demons.

Losing at home for the first time this season, Sam Houston (11-6, 5-3) couldn't score the clinching point in the three remaining singles contests as NSU again came through under pressure.

"This was a great college tennis battle today," head coach Patric DuBois said. "I am very proud of the way everyone on our team competed."

In the No. 3 singles position, Verma lost the first set 6-3, but won the second and third sets 6-3, 6-4, against Karla De La Luz Montalvoto to remain unbeaten in conference play at 8-0.

That victory followed wins by Maria Skyba (6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at No. 2) and Ela Iwaniuk (6-4, 6-3 at No. 5) and completed the comeback.

"Our last three matches today all knew they had to find a way to win," DuBois said. "Ela, Maria and Rhea played well under pressure and trusted in the process they practice every day."

It was the Lady Demons' 12th straight win over Sam Houston State, as they improved their overall record against the Bearkats to 30-2.

The last three meetings with SHSU and four of the last five have been by 4-3 scores. Of the Lady Demons' eight conference wins this season, five have been by that score.

SHSU won a tight battle for the doubles point by taking tiebreakers at Nos. 1 and 3. Polina Mutel and Iwaniuk dropped their match at No. 1 7-6 (7-3) and Skyba and Emilija Dancetovic fell 7-6 (9-7) at No. 3.

NSU's No. 2 pairing of Patrycja Polanska and Verma won 6-4 to improve to 12-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play.

Riding the momentum of capturing the doubles point, the Bearkats won the first set in three of the six singles matches.

Sahaja Yamalapalli kept her perfect record intact for the Bearkats with a 6-2, 6-0 win against Mutel at No. 1 singles. The Player of the Year candidate improved to 14-3 overall and 8-0 in Southland action.

Lady Demon freshman Antonia Blattner dominated once again at No. 6, winning convincingly 6-1, 6-1, against Petra Kaszas to get NSU on the scoreboard. The freshman has made her conference debut in the last two matches and has not allowed her opponent to win more than one game in any set. She improved to 8-1 overall.

SHSU moved to the brink of the upset, going up 3-1 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory by Lusine Chobanyan against Polanska at No. 3.

That set the stage for the thrilling finish, courtesy of Iwaniuk, Verma and Skyba.

Iwaniuk remained perfect in conference by dumping Roos Gerritsen at No. 5. The victory was her team-leading 14th on the season, which ties her win total from last season. All eight of her wins in Southland play have been in straight sets.

Skyba finished first with her three-set triumph against Isidora Zivkovic squaring the match.

Like against Lamar at home on March 22, it all came down to Verma. She came through then, and the redshirt freshman did again Friday.

It was her 13th win of the season, and she remained perfect in conference and 10-3 at the No. 3 spot. She has won 13 of her last 15 matches overall.

"After losing a hard-fought doubles point, to win four singles matches on the road against a very good Sam Houston team shows the character and competitiveness of all eight ladies on our team," DuBois said.

NSU concludes its road schedule with a trip to Stephen F. Austin Sunday before returning to Natchitoches for the last two matches of the regular season next weekend. Next Friday, the Lady Demons take on Abilene Christian before playing Incarnate Word on Senior Day next Sunday.
 

Northwestern State 4, Sam Houston State 3
Women's Tennis at Huntsville, Texas – McAdams Tennis Center
Singles
1. Sahaja Yamalapalli (SHSU) def. Polina Mutel 6-2, 6-0
2. Maria Skyba (NSU) def. Isidora Zivkovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
3. Rhea Verma (NSU) def. Karla De La Luz Montalvoto 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
4. Lusine Chobanyan (SHSU) def. Patrycja Polanska 6-2, 6-2
5. Ela Iwaniuk (NSU) def. Roos Gerritsen 6-4, 6-3
6. Antonia Blattner (NSU) def. Petra Kaszas 6-1, 6-1
 

Doubles
1. Lusine Chobanyan/Roos Gerritsen (SHSU) def. Polina Mutel/Ela Iwaniuk 7-6 (7-3)
2. Patrycja Polanska/Rhea Verma (NSU) def. Sahaja Yamalapalli/Isidora Zivkovic 6-4
3. Karla De La Luz Montalvoto/Petra Kaszas (SHSU) def. Antonia Blattner/Emilija Dancetovic 7-6 (9-7)
 

Match Notes:
Northwestern State 16-3 overall, 8-0 Southland
Sam Houston State: 11-6 overall, 5-3 Southland
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,6,4,5,2,3)