McNeese women’s tennis ended its season on April 20 with a 4-2 loss to Stephen F. Austin in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tennis Championship in Beaumont, Texas. The Cowgirls finished their campaign with a 22-2 overall record.
The match determined which team would advance to face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the championship round. Stephen F. Austin secured the doubles point by winning two out of three matches and extended its lead through singles victories on courts two and three.
Salome Fluri earned McNeese’s first point with a straight-set win against Sonja Rooth, while Elena Morales narrowed the gap further by defeating Alk Giannakogiorgou on court six. However, SFA clinched the match when Ana Paula Chavez defeated Erica Hagi in straight sets on court five.
Despite falling short in the tournament, McNeese achieved several milestones this season: an undefeated regular season record within conference play (9-0), an unblemished home record (8-0), and its first outright Southland Conference regular season title. The Cowgirls also became the winningest team in program history with 22 wins and produced a program-best 17-match winning streak.
Head coach Sonia Carlson was named Southland Conference Coach of the Year, while players Ana Hollweg, Erica Hagi, and Elena Morales received All-Southland Conference first-team honors for singles play. Two doubles teams were also recognized as All-SLC first team selections.
The Cowgirls’ strong performance throughout the year sets a new standard for future seasons as they look to build upon their historic achievements.
