LAFAYETTE — Freshman Dorota Szczygielska captured the first singles win of her career, but it was not enough as the Northwestern State tennis team fell 4-1 Saturday in Lafayette.
 
NSU (2-3) fell for the second consecutive match and third straight time at UL Lafayette.
 
Szczygielska won a close match against UL Lafayette's Lucie Raquin, with neither player gaining more than a two-game lead at any point in either set until the final point of the match.
 
Szczygielska fell behind early in the first set, before a rain delay set in. She bounced back quickly to go on top in the first set following the delay to win 6-4 and never trailed in the second, emerging victorious 6-4, 6-3.
 
UL Lafayette (5-0) extended its season-opening win streak to five. With the victory, the Ragin' Cajuns improved to 28-24 against NSU all-time and are now within one win of equaling last season's win total.
 
The home team began the day by winning the doubles point by winning at Nos. 1 and 3. Floriane Picaut remained undefeated on this young season by winning in both singles and doubles. Picaut and partner Dana Radovanovic handled NSU's tandem of Ela Iwaniuk and Emilija Dancetovic, which was 3-1 going into the match.
 
In singles, Picaut willed her way to victory at No. 1 against Mariella Minetti, winning 6-2, 6-4 before Mariona Perez did the same against Iwaniuk at No. 2, winning 6-0, 6-4.
 
Despite the final, it was a race to the finish. NSU took first-set wins in three singles matches with Szczygielska, Pati Polanska and Judit Castillo Gargallo snaring the opening sets.
 
All four matches came down to the wire with Szczygielska holding off Raquin to earn NSU's point.
Freshman Olivia Alfredsson dropped the first set 6-3 against Radovanovic, but led 5-4 in the second set. However, Radovanovic came back with three consecutive points to end NSU's chances of a comeback.
 
Polanska came from behind to win a tight first set in a tiebreaker against Ciara Mantaux at No. 4. She was in front 5-2 in the second set before Mantaux came back to tie it before Polanska regained the advantage 6-5 when the clinching point was made.
 
Castillo Gargallo won her first set convincingly at No. 6 6-2 and was in front 3-0 in the second before Marina Garcia came back to within one. Castillo Gargallo was holding her off at 5-4 before Radovanovic clinched the match for the Ragin Cajuns.
 
The Lady Demons are back in action tomorrow at Houston at 10 a.m., an hour earlier than the originally scheduled time. NSU returns to Natchitoches next weekend with two home contests, beginning with Alcorn on Friday at 2 p.m.
 
Tennis Match Results
Northwestern State vs. UL Lafayette
Feb. 8, 2020 at Lafayette, LA
(Cajun Courts)
UL Lafayette 4, Northwestern State 1

Singles
1. Floriane Picaut (ULL) def. Mariella Minetti (NSU) 6-2, 6-4
2. Mariona Perez (ULL) def. Ela Iwaniuk 6-0, 6-4
3. Dorota Szczygielska (NSU) def. Lucie Raquin 6-4, 6-3
4. Patrycja Polanska (NSU) vs. Ciara Mantaux 7-6, 6-5 UF
5. Dana Radovanovic (ULL) def. Olivia Alfredsson 6-3, 7-5
6. Judit Castillo Gargallo (NSU) vs. Marina Garcia 6-2, 5-4 UF

Doubles
1. Floriane Picaut/Dana Radovanovic (ULL) def. Ela Iwaniuk/Emilija Dancetovic 6-2
2. Patrycja Polanska/Mariella Minetti (NSU) vs. Ciara Mantaux/Mariona Perez 5-5 UF
3. Lucie Raquin/Marina Garcia (ULL) def. Olivia Alfredsson/Judit Castillo Gargallo 7-5