CONWAY, AR – The McNeese women's tennis squad opened its Southland Conference slate with a victory Sunday morning as the Cowgirls posted a 6-1 decision over Central Arkansas.
McNeese improved to 7-4 overall on the year and opened league play with a 1-0 mark while the Sugar Bears fell to 3-3 this season after dropping its first conference contest on the year.
The Cowgirls had to come from behind to earn the doubles point in the Sunday brunch session as the No. 2 squad of
Klaudia Gawlik and
Hannah Brett fell UCA's Xylia Chunan Xiang and Marli Van Heerden 6-2. McNeese tied it up with a victory on Court 3 as
Julia Kral and
Charoline Erlandsson defeated the combo of QiLi Ma and Rada Manataweewat 6-3. The deciding factor was
Giovanna Fioretti and
Sarah Jurakova's 6-4 win in Spot 1 over Nataly Yoo and Amiru Shimoguchi that clinched the doubles point.
In singles action, the Cowgirls dominated once again, taking five of the six courts for the overwhelming victory.
Hannah Brett picked up a 6-1, 6-2 win on Court 5 over Van Heerdan while Fioretti upped McNeese's lead to a 3-0 score with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 decision over Xiang.
Charoline Erlandsson's win was the match clincher as she defeated Manataweewat in three sets 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Court 6.
Klaudia Gawlik gained another singles win with a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 victory in the top spot over Yoo. Gawlik now owns an 18-3 record in conference only matches while earning her 58
th career singles win.
Julia Kral picked up a win in the No. 3 spot over Ma 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 while Jurakova fell in the fourth spot to close out the match.
McNeese will come home to the Nancy Hank Tennis Center where it will host UTSA on Saturday, Feb. 20 in a 11 a.m. match. Following the match, the Cowgirls will travel to Thibodaux to take on Nicholls in SLC action Tuesday, March 1 at 11 a.m.
McNeese State 6, Central Arkansas 1
Feb 14, 2016 at Little Rock, Ark. (Burns Park) | Singles competition |
| 1. Klaudia Gawlik (MCN) def. Nataly Yoo (UCA) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 |
| 2. Giovanna Fioretti (MCN) def. Xylia Chunan Xiang (UCA) 7-5, 6-2 |
| 3. Julia Kral (MCN) def. QiLi Ma (UCA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 |
| 4. Amiru Shimoguchi (UCA) def. Sarah Jurakova (MCN) 5-7, 7-6, 10-5 |
| 5. Hannah Brett (MCN) def. Marli Van Heerden (UCA) 6-1, 6-2 |
| 6. Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) def. Rada Manataweewat (UCA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 |
