McNeese women’s tennis defeated Northwestern State 4-3 on Mar. 22, handing the visitors their first conference loss of the season. The match took place in Lake Charles as McNeese returned home after eight consecutive road matches. With this win, McNeese improved to a 13-1 overall record and remains undefeated at 3-0 in Southland Conference play, while Northwestern State dropped to 8-5 overall and 4-1 in the conference.
The result is significant for both teams as it marks a shift in the conference standings and highlights McNeese’s strong performance this season. The Cowgirls will continue their homestand by hosting Stephen F. Austin at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 23.
Head coach Sonia Carlson said, “Today was a gritty, high-energy team win. We showed toughness, determination, and the competitive fire we’ve been building all season, and feeding off our home crowd made a huge difference.” Carlson also said, “After two weekends off, we needed a little time to settle in, but once we found our rhythm, the intensity and belief took over. Clinching the doubles point gave us real momentum, and you could feel the confidence spread across every court going into singles. I’m proud of the fight and the heart this group showed — they left everything out there today. We know Monday against SFA will be another battle, and we’re coming in ready to bring the heat.”
McNeese secured an early advantage by winning doubles matches at No. 2 and No. 3 positions to take a 1-0 lead into singles play. In singles competition, Salome Fluri won at No. 1 to improve her season record to 9-1; Ana Hollweg claimed victory at No. 4 for a personal record of 13-1; Elena Morales clinched the match with her straight-set win at No. 6 and now stands at 12-1 for the season.
The Cowgirls’ next challenge comes quickly as they prepare for another conference matchup against Stephen F. Austin.
