NATCHITOCHES—The Northwestern State tennis team has continued its strong beginning to the fall season.

 Tjasa Klevisar and Honoka Umeda each won their draws with victories in their draw finals Saturday on the final day of the Natchitoches Women's Care Lady Demon Invitational.

"It was a very beneficial weekend for the Lady Demons," first-year head coach Marcos Morelli said. "Internally, we had different goals for every player, and they were all met."

Competing in her first event for NSU, Umeda was lights out. After pulling out a pair of wins in super tiebreakers Friday, the freshman rolled to a triumph in straight sets on day two against Southern Miss' Angelina Blinova, 6-2, 6-1, to win the yellow singles draw.

"Honoka competed very well in her first tournament as a Lady Demon," Morelli said. "She showed poise, winning two out of her three singles in the super tiebreaker and winning her flight."

Klevisar captured the purple singles draw with a super tiebreaker victory against USM's Lim Sze Xuan. Klevisar won the first 6-3 before dropping the second 6-4. In the super tiebreaker, she jumped out to an 8-3 advantage before Xuan tried to climb back with two consecutive games. Klevisar rebounded to win the final two and win the draw's championship.

Klevisar also played well in doubles, as she and partner Maria Farina won a match against Tyler Junior College's Stephanie Gopar and Beyza Yaniklar in a round robin doubles field.

"Big shout out for Tjasa," Morelli said. "She not only showed what great player she is by winning the top flight, but also did it with the presence and attitude of a captain and a leader."

Sofi Garcia and Sara Erenda see enough of each other in practice, so Morelli did not have the two compete against each other in the orange singles draw finals.

"Sofi and Sara had really good starts to the fall season," Morelli said. "They both competed very well in both singles and doubles, winning the tournament."

The two did compete in doubles, though, and the duo won the purple doubles draw with victories against TJC's Zoi Spyrou and Candy Wai and then a narrow triumph 7-5 against another TJC tandem, Natalia Michta and Maike Tiemersma.

After a week off, NSU returns to the court Sept. 29 when it travels to Conway, Arkansas, for the UCA Invitational, the second of four fall tournaments the Lady Demons are participating in.