NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Lamar University women's tennis team never seemed to get over the hump Saturday afternoon against Northwestern State dropping a 4-3 decision to the Lady Demons. The loss drops LU to 9-10 (.474) on the season and 4-6 (.400) in Southland Conference play heading into Sunday's regular-season finale.
 
"This match came down to the doubles point," said head coach David Wong. "We didn't make the plays that we needed to and Northwestern State took advantage. Doubles was the story of the day. Now we have to put this behind us and get ready for Stephen F. Austin."
 
The Cardinals found themselves in a position of constantly fighting an uphill battle in the road matchup against Northwestern State. After dropping the doubles points, Big Red found itself in an early 2-0 hole after the Lady Demons picked off the first singles match of the day on court one.
 
Freshman Luciana Di Laura immediately responded for the Red and White cutting the deficit in half with her straight-sets victory at No. 5 singles. Di Laura faced little opposition bouncing the Lady Demons' Barbora Kollarova into the loss column, 6-2, 6-0.
 
The victory appeared to give LU the momentum as junior Katya Lapayeva tacked on a 6-4, 6-3 decision over NSU's Iryna Vardanian at No. 2 singles to tie the team score at two. But every time the Cardinals made a run their hosts seemed to have an answer.
 
Northwestern State's Polina Ivanova reclaimed the lead for her squad with a three-set victory at No. 4 singles. Trailing by one, the Cardinals turned to court 6 to even the match back up, but the Lady Demons' Alzbeta Veverkova never surrendered the advantage. Veverkova defeated LU's Teodora Stefanovic, 6-2, 6-4.
 
The loss at No. 6 singles was made even more heartbreaking by the fact that the Red and White closed out the match with a three-set win on court three. Junior Anna Spengler defeated Northwestern State's Polina Mutel, 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 10-8.
 
The Cardinals close out the regular season Sunday against 2015 Southland Conference co-champion Stephen F. Austin. The match at SFA will begin at noon in Nacogdoches.
 
Northwestern State 4, Lamar University 3
Natchitoches, La.
April 9, 2016
 
Singles
1. Natalya Krutova (NSU) def. Andrea Ivanovic (LU), 6-1, 6-0
2. Katya Lapayeva (LU) def. Iryna Vardanian (NSU), 6-4, 6-3
3. Anna Spengler (LU) def. Polina Mutel (NSU), 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 10-8
4. Polina Ivanova (NSU) def. Talisa Merchiers (LU), 6-1, 6-4, 6-1
5. Luciana Di Laura (LU) def. Barbora Kollarova (NSU), 6-2, 6-0
6. Alzbeta Veverkova (NSU) def. Teodora Stefanovic (LU), 6-2, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Natalya Krutova/Ivanova (NSU) def. Spengler/Ivanovic (LU), 6-2
2. Mutel/Vardanian (NSU) vs. Lapayeva/Di Laura (LU), 5-2 Unf.
3. Veverkova/Kollarova (NSU) vs. Merchiers/Elfving (LU), 6-1