It was a day to celebrate for more than one reason at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex, as Northwestern State not only honored its seniors but also clinched at least a share of the Southland Conference regular season women’s tennis championship with a gritty 4-3 win over visiting Southeastern on Monday afternoon.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this group,” said head coach Marcos Morelli. “From day one, we committed to fighting for each other and focusing on what we could control. We trusted the process, and today, all that hard work paid off. Good things came because we earned them.”
The outcome leaves NSU as the only SLC unbeaten team with an 8-0 league record, 9-6 overall. The regular season concludes Saturday with a visit to Stephen F. Austin, 7-1 in the conference. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is 8-1 and done, hoping SFA can knock off Northwestern to create a tri-championship.
But Monday’s win, coupled with a grueling 4-3 triumph at home Saturday over McNeese, put the Lady Demons in the driver’s seat.
Beating SLU earned Northwestern its second Southland regular season title in three years, and the fourth in the past 15 years — all with the influence of longtime assistant coach Patric DuBois, formerly the program’s head coach in two highly successful stints.
The Lady Demons started Monday celebrating seniors Ayu Ishibashi and Tjasa Klevisar.
Early doubles action seized the first point for Northwestern, sweeping the opposing competition.
The pair of Sofi Garcia and Ishibashi rolled to a 6-1 decision over SLU’s Taisia Bolsova and Claudia di Leonardo.
The Lady Demons clinched the doubles point with a Maria Farina and Klevisar masterclass, outlasting the Lions’ Bente Bierma and Panatchakom Suanarsa 6-4.
The match between Zoi Spyrou and Honoka Umeda went unfinished with the duo leading 4-3 since the point was already secured.
Southeastern (12-8, 3-6) capitalized on a retirement by Northwestern’s Ishibashi to even the score at 1.
Garcia dominated at the No. 6 spot, blanking Bolsova in straight sets with a commanding 6-0, 6-0 victory to give the lead back to the Lady Demons.
Klevisar extended the lead after a near-perfect 6-1, 6-1 romp over Suanarsa at the No. 2 spot.
Umeda delivered the championship clincher for the Lady Demons, dispatching Southeastern’s Di Leonardo 6-4, 6-2 at the No. 3 spot to put NSU up an insurmountable 4-1.
With the match secured, Farina retired from her singles contest against Darder. In a hard-fought three-set battle at the No. 1 spot, Southeastern’s Gomez edged Spyrou, claiming a 7-5, 2-6, 10-1 victory to finish the match.
“We competed with everything we had today,” says Morelli. “Their commitment to recovery was exceptional — they put themselves in prime condition for this match. This was a defining moment for us, and I couldn’t be more proud of how they rose to the challenge.”
