DENTON, Texas – Northwestern State tennis closed out the Diving Eagle Invitational with a standout performance from junior Honoka Umeda, who captured the B Draw championship, while three other Lady Demons earned singles victories in Sunday's Round of 16. 

Umeda capped her strong weekend by defeating UT Arlington's Vanja Cado 6-2, 6-3 in the B Draw final. 

"Honoka stayed focused throughout the entire match," said third-year head coach Marcos Morelli. "She followed the right process all weekend and kept improving with each match she played." 

In the main singles draw, junior Maria Farina and senior Zoi Spyrou each delivered steady performances.  

Farina topped North Texas' Lilly Schultz 7-5, 6-1, while Spyrou earned a 6-3, 6-4 decision over UTA's Elizaveta Mladentseva. 

With Umeda, Farina, and Spyrou all picking up wins on Sunday, Morelli emphasized the value of veteran leadership. 

"It's important for our upperclassmen to set the example," he said. "Their ability to perform on the court and lead off it provides a standard for our newcomers to follow." 

Freshman newcomer Lolita Hukasian continued her strong debut in the tournament, cruising past Oral Roberts' Chase Holloway 6-1, 6-0.  

Fellow newcomer Athina Grigoriadou battled but fell to UTA's Natalia Gonzalez 6-2, 6-1. 

"Our newcomers showed great willingness to compete and displayed strong attributes," Morelli said. "They're learning quickly, and while there's still plenty to work on, this was a very encouraging start." 

As the Lady Demons wrapped up their opening fall competition, Morelli highlighted the broader lessons from the weekend. 

"This tournament was a good way to set the tone for the fall," he said. "We need to continue improving in doubles and stay committed to the process—doing the right things from start to finish." 

NSU now turns its attention to the rest of the fall slate, carrying momentum from a weekend that featured a championship run, veteran consistency and promising performances from the freshman class. 

University of North Texas - Diving Eagle Invite 
Sunday Matchups 

Singles 
East 
B Draw Championship 
Honoka Umeda (NSU) def. Vanja Cado (UTA) 6-2, 6-3 

Main Draw 
Round 16 Singles 
Maria Farina (NSU) def. Lilly Schultz (UNT) 7-5, 6-1 
Zoi Spyrou (NSU) def. Elizaveta Mladentseva (UTA) 6-3, 6-4 
Lolita Hukasian (NSU) vs. Chase Holloway (ORU) 6-1, 6-0 
Natalia Gonzalez (UTA) def. Athina Grigoriadou (NSU) 6-2, 6-1