TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Northwestern State sophomore Mariella Minetti starred on the opening day of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Southern Regional, winning two singles qualifying matches to reach the qualifying finals Thursday.

Four of five Lady Demons won at least one singles qualifying match at the University of Alabama with two others getting an automatic pass to the main singles draw.

Minetti disposed of UAB's Enya Ratkic (6-4, 6-1) before she pushed passed Tulane's Adelaide Lavery (6-3, 6-4).

Minetti needs one more qualifying win Friday morning to move into the main singles draw, joining teammates Tjasa Klevisar and Rozalie Dohnalova.

"Mariella did a fantastic job following the game plan from the first to the last point," said NSU coach Jonas Brobeck. "She did a really good job of playing her game and her style, executing perfectly.

"She was brave and executed in important moments of the match when it could have swung either way, and she put her opponent outside of her comfort zone."

Sophomore Viktorie Wojcikova and freshman Ayu Ishibashi each won their opening matches.
Wojcikova edged McNeese's Matilde Mulatero (7-6, 11-9, 6-3) and Ishibashi clubbed Jacksonville State's Anna Syrova (6-1, 6-3).

Both fell in the second qualifying match as Wojcikova dropped a 6-0, 6-4 decision to UAB's Annalisa Smith and Ishibashi lost a heartbreaker to UAB's Vanessa Mellynchuk 7-6, (7-2), 1-6, 10-6.

Sophomore Gig Kanaphuet rebounded from an opening loss to take care of ULM's Jimena Garbino (6-1, 7-5). Kanaphuet dropped her first match to Jacksonville State's Romane Mosse (6-1, 6-3).

Sophomore Dorota Sczcygielska was defeated in her only match of the day, losing to Southern Miss' Ebra Yazban (6-3, 6-0).

Friday action will consist of the last round of qualifying singles, the first round of doubles, and the first round of main draw singles.