By: Zach Freihofer, Sports Information Graduate Assistant
BEAUMONT, Texas—The Northwestern State women's tennis team is set to continue its Southland Conference journey as it travels to the state of Texas to face Lamar on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Thompson Family Tennis Center.
The Lady Demons (5-6, 5-0 SLC) aim to maintain their undefeated conference record following a commanding 6-1 victory over UIW on Saturday.
"It's a process that began in the fall, emphasizing control over what we can manage," said head coach Marcos Morelli. "We focus on learning from each other and continuously improving with every match."
In their recent match against UIW, the Lady Demons showcased exceptional form.
The team secured the doubles point with decisive wins, particularly from the pairing of Ayu Ishibashi and Sofi Garcia, who dominated their match 6-1.
In singles matches, the Lady Demons showcased their strength again, highlighted by exceptional performances from Zoi Spyrou and Tjasa Klevisar, who both earned straight-set wins.
Ishibashi showcased her skills in singles vs UIW's Luciana Paez Hernandez 6-2, 6-0 at the No. 4 spot
Freshman Pika Doberlet joined her teammates in a straight-set victory handling Amelie Montalvo 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 5 spot.
Garcia, who was already named conference player of the week earlier this season, aims to add to her dominance after a 7-5, 6-2 match over McKenzy Byfield at the No. 6 spot.
Lamar (3-13, 0-3) is coming off a tough 7-0 loss to Stephen F. Austin after a it had a 10-day break from league play, like Northwestern State.
"Lamar is always a tough opponent," said Morelli. "Our focus is on playing our game and giving our best effort on every point. We expect a battle and are ready to compete at the highest level."
While the team has struggled, Arina Gudovskaya has a 5-5 mark at the top spot in the singles rotation and is a perfect 2-0 during SLC play.
Following Monday's matchup, the Lady Demons travel to Nacogdoches to face rival SFA in a crucial match.