Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Lady Demon tennis team finished their season seeded sixth on Saturday, April 20 on the road at the Southland Conference Tournament in San Antonio, Texas.
In the first round of the tournament on Friday, April 19, NSU came out victorious with a 4-1 final score against the New Jersey Institute of Technology Highlanders.
The doubles teams came out victorious against their opponents. Partners junior Tjasa Klevisar and freshman Honoka Umeda defeated Laura Wipfli and Irene Cocero with a score of 6-3. Partners junior Paige Wise and freshman Sara Erenda beat Pa Menendez Alvarez and Shalom Salvi with a score of 6-4. Partners sophomore Sofi Garcia and freshman Maria Farina left the match unfinished against Sandra Dzhambazov and Sofi Pinedo.
On the singles side, the Lady Demons showed promise with both their defeats and losses against the Highlanders. Maria Farina defeated Sandra Dzhambazov with a score of 6-3 in the first set and 6-2 in the second. Sofi Garcia defeated Shalom Salvi after taking the first set with a score of 6-2 and the second set with 6-2. Honoka Umeda won after scoring 6-1 in the first set and 7-5 in the second set against Irene Cocero.
Tjasa Klevisar left the match unfinished, after losing to Laura Wipfli with a score of 6-1 in the first set and 6-5 in the second. Sara Erenda left the match unfinished against Sofi Pinedo. Paige Wise lost by default against Pa Menendez Alvarez.
The Lady Demons ended their season in the semi-finals on Saturday, April 20 losing to the McNeese State University Cowboys with a score of 4-2.
Starting the doubles matches an hour early due to expected inclement weather, Tjasa Klevisar and Honoka Umeda defeated Anastasija Adeikyte and Arina Gamrekaia with a finishing score of 6-4. Sofi Garcia and Maria Farina came out victorious against Natalia Ballo and Maria Wang Martinez after scoring 6-3. Paige Wise and Sara Erenda lost to Ai Domingo-Bernabeu and Tiana Fox with a score of 6-2.
The singles results showed the Demons struggle against the Cowboys. Tjasa Klevisar lost to Arina Gamrekaia with a score of 6-4 in the first set and 7-5 in the second set. Maria Farina was defeated by Ai Domingo-Bernabeu with a score of 6-2 in the first set and 6-0 in the second set. Sara Erenda lost to Anastasija Adeikyte with a score of 6-4 in the first and 6-3 in the second set.
Sofi Garcia defeated Emma-Lou Pommiers with a final score of 6-2 in the first set and 7-5 in the second set. Honoka Umeda left the match unfinished against Maria Wang Martinez. Paige Wise lost by forfeit against Ari Monlleo Sanchis.
While the team put up a brave fight towards the end of their season, their accomplishments and memories did not go unnoticed.
Sofi Garcia, a sophomore computer information systems major from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was named Second Team All-Conference after her impressive season, but explains she couldn’t have done it without the support of her teammates.
“We practice every single day for over two hours and we do everything together,” Garcia said. “We do everything together and we’re like a family.”
Garcia explained that the team will only improve for next season after the loss and learn from the previous matches.
“Every match we learn something new and every match is different,” Garcia said. “We’re learning every minute and second with coaches and by practicing ourselves.”
Marina Farina, freshman industrial engineering major from Buenos Aires, Argentina, added that her first year on the team has given her great friends and goals she has set for herself.
“We work as a team and never give up,” Farina said. “I want to go to Nationals with my team.”
Sara Erenda, a freshman psychology major from Hall in Tirol, Austria, explained that the losses also made the team stronger this year.
“As a team our losses made us stronger,” Erenda said. “We look at the other team and look at what we can do differently to win.”
The Lady Demons hold their heads up high after accepting defeat in the SLC Tournament, while gaining new experiences and friendships to carry on to the next season.
