DENTON, Texas – Northwestern State is set to open its fall tournament schedule at the Diving Eagle Invitational, with third-year head coach Marcos Morelli eager to see how his squad responds to early competition. 

The four-day event begins Thursday at the Waranch Tennis Complex. 

Expectations remain high as the Lady Demons look to build on this past spring's success. 

"I expect them to compete hard," Morelli said. "I expect them to be disciplined and to maintain great body language." 

Leadership has been a bright spot in preparations and Morelli has taken notice. 

"We have a strong setup with our grade leaders, a solid middle group already stepping into leadership roles, and four newcomers who want to learn and have a great work ethic," Morelli said. "We're still working on consistently bringing energy, but overall, it's a really good setup." 

Among the fresh faces are Martina Acebedo Bonocore, Athina Grigoriadou, Lolita Hukasian, and Lija Mumlek, who Morelli said have adjusted quickly. 

"They've all been great additions," he noted. "They've been working very hard, and we're slowly getting them to understand our standards and how we do things." 

The Lady Demons feature a blend of experience and new talent this weekend, with Maria Farina, Zoi Spyrou, and Honoka Umeda providing veteran presence alongside Hukasian, Grigoriadou, and Acebedo Bonocore in their NSU tournament debuts. 

Morelli emphasized the fall season is critical for growth, especially for players moving from junior tennis to the college game. 

"These matches are very important, especially for the newcomers, to understand that college tennis is full of talented and tough players," he explained. "In juniors, sometimes you can get away with just being talented or playing someone who doesn't want to fight. In college, everyone is talented, and everyone fights. These events are a great test for them to realize that." 

While fall tournaments do not count toward the dual-match record, their value extends well beyond results. 

"It's about development," Morelli said. "It's about getting quality matches, gaining repetitions, and competing in tough situations. Even though the results don't count toward our team record, they set the base for the spring. If we don't have a good fall, we won't have a good spring. Plus, the travel, the dinners, and the time together make us stronger and more united, which ultimately helps us perform better as a team."