SAN MARCOS, Texas – After opening the fall season with a strong showing at the Diving Eagle Invitational, the Northwestern State tennis team returns to action this weekend at the Texas State Invitational, starting Friday. 

Six Lady Demons are making the trip: senior Zoi Spyrou, juniors Maria Farina and Honoka Umeda, and newcomers Lolita Hukasian, Martina Acebedo Bonocore, and Athina Grigoriadou.  

The tournament provides another early opportunity for NSU to build rhythm and chemistry as the fall slate continues. 

Head coach Marcos Morelli said he is eager to see the team's hard work in practice translate into matches. 

"The girls have been working hard in practice, and I'm looking forward to seeing them carry that effort into competition this weekend," Morelli said. 

Umeda enters the weekend with momentum after capturing the B Draw championship at the Diving Eagle Invitational, where she dropped just five games in the final and improved with each round.  

Spyrou and Farina also picked up key singles victories in their season debuts, showing the leadership expected from the team's veterans. 

The tournament will also be a valuable test for the three freshmen. Hukasian and Grigoriadou each advanced to the finals of their respective draws in their first collegiate event, while Bonocore picked up her first career win. 

"I'm excited to see how our newcomers respond to another weekend of tough matches," Morelli said. "The competition will be strong, and it's a great opportunity for them to keep growing." 

Beyond individual performances, Morelli noted that his team has already taken essential lessons from its first fall competition. 

"One of the biggest takeaways is the importance of staying disciplined from start to finish," he said. "The players understand that, and I'm confident they'll continue to compete at their best." 

One specific focus this weekend will be improving doubles play, where the Lady Demons showed flashes of potential in their opening tournament. "We're putting an emphasis on positioning and controlling the net," Morelli said. "If we can execute in those areas, our doubles play will continue to improve." 

The Texas State Invitational runs Friday through Sunday, with NSU competing in both singles and doubles draws. Results will be available following each day's matches.