NATCHITOCHES — Northwestern State continued its run of tight victories Friday afternoon, edging New Orleans 4–3 at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.

The Lady Demons (7-4, 3-0) secured the doubles point and claimed three singles matches to hold off the Privateers (6-3, 0-1) in another match that came down to the final courts.

"It was another hard-fought win," head coach Marcos Morelli said. "It shows how competitive this conference is. Every team is tough, and anyone can beat anyone on any given day."

NSU opened the day strong in doubles play.

Sofi Garcia and Honoka Umeda set the tone at the No. 1 position with a 6–2 win over Nouray Khaled and Kate Kalistratova.

The No. 3 pairing of Martina Acebedo Bonocore and Athina Grigoriadou followed with a dominant 6–0 victory against Naila Krifa and Ananya Dhankhar, clinching the doubles point for the Lady Demons.

The No. 2 doubles match between Maria Farina and Lija Mumlek and Danique Vermue and Fleur Sprengers went unfinished at 5–4.

Morelli said the energy of returning home after an extended break helped the team start fast.

"The girls were excited to play at home," Morelli said. "They were excited to be back in front of their home crowd, and I think that helped us start the match with good momentum."

The doubles point once again proved to be pivotal.

"That was huge for us," Morelli said. "Winning the doubles point helps carry good momentum into singles. But I also trust that if we lose the doubles point, the girls can grind in singles. We showed that earlier this season."

In singles play, NSU quickly extended its lead.

Acebedo delivered one of the most decisive performances of the afternoon at No. 4 singles, defeating Danique Vermue 6–0, 6–0. Grigoriadou followed with a convincing 6–1, 6–2, victory over Nouray Khaled at No. 3 to give the Lady Demons a 3–0 advantage.

New Orleans responded with wins at the top of the lineup.

Sprengers defeated Umeda 6–3, 6–2, at No. 1, and Kalistratova followed with a 6–4, 6–3, victory over Farina at No. 2 to pull the Privateers within one point of tying the match.

With the match tightening, the outcome shifted to the lower courts.

Garcia once again delivered the clinching point for NSU set 6–2 before Krifa answered with a 6–3 second set. In the deciding set, Garcia regained control and closed out the match 6–2 to seal the team victory.

Morelli emphasized that while Garcia delivered the final point, the win was a collective effort.

"Sofi finished the match, but it was a team effort," Morelli said. "Martina has been doing an amazing job, Athina got her first conference win, which was great to see, and Maria fought hard until the end. Everyone contributed."

The coach also praised the growth of his younger players, particularly Acebedo and Grigoriadou.

"They are great competitors and they are committed to the process," Morelli said. "With each match they gain more experience and feel more comfortable on the court."

At No. 6 singles, UNO's Dhankhar defeated Mumlek in three sets, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2, but the result came after the Lady Demons had already clinched the match.

Morelli commended Mumlek's effort in the long match.

"She competed hard," Morelli said. "It was her first full singles match, and she battled through three sets. There are still things to work on, but it was great to see her fight the entire time."

The win marks NSU's third consecutive 4–3 victory as the Lady Demons continue to show resilience early in Southland Conference play.

Northwestern State returns to the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex on Sunday to host Nicholls in another SLC matchup.

"Nicholls is a very good team," Morelli said. "They're deep in the lineup and their new coach has them playing with a lot of motivation. We know it will be another tough match."

NSU 4, UNO 3
Northwestern State Lady Demons - Natchitoches, Louisiana
Northwestern State University - Jack Fisher Tennis Complex

Singles
Fleur Sprengers (UNO) def. Honoka Umeda (NSU) 6-3, 6-2
Kate Kalistratova (UNO) def. Maria Farina (NSU) 6-4, 6-3
Athina Grigoriadou (NSU) def. Nouray Khaled (UNO) 6-1, 6-2
Martina Acebedo Bonocore (NSU) def. Danique Vermue (UNO) 6-0, 6-0
Sofi Garcia (NSU) def. Naila Krifa (UNO) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2
Ananya Dhankhar (UNO) def. Lija Mumlek (NSU) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2

Doubles
Honoka Umeda/Sofi Garcia (NSU) def. Nouray Khaled/Kate Kalistratova (UNO) 6-2
Maria Farina/Lija Mumlek (NSU) vs. Danique Vermue/Fleur Sprengers (UNO) 4-5, uf
Martina Acebedo Bonocore/Athina Grigoriadou (NSU) def. Naila Krifa/Ananya Dhankhar (UNO) 6-0

Orders finished: singles (4, 3, 1, 2, 5, 6); doubles (3, 1, uf)