LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese women's tennis squad overcame adversity and was able to come together for the bounce back victory as the Cowgirls took down Stephen F. Austin, 5-2, in Southland Conference action Saturday afternoon at the Nancy Hank Tennis Center.
 
With the win, McNeese (13-6, 6-2 SLC) stays alive in the race for the Southland Conference regular season championship as it sits second in the standings, just two matches behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Cowgirls collected their seventh victory at home and have now won four wins out of the last five SLC contests on their home court.
 
The Pokes took the early advantage with a pair of doubles wins for the first point of the match. The team of Sarah Jurakova and Giovanna Fioretti won from the No.1 spot while Julia Kral and partner Charoline Erlandsson took a 7-5 win on court three.
 
Sophomore Hannah Brett was dominant once again as she picked up her 12^th consecutive singles victory over SFA's Lauren Hidalgo-Smith, 6-1, 7-6 to give McNeese a 2-0 lead.
 
The Ladyjacks tied the match up with wins in spots two and five but the Cowgirls remained calm in the face of adversity as Fioretti led the charge with a 6-3, 6-2 win from the No. 1 spot.
 
Anastasija Trubich remained undefeated in singles play with a 6-2, 7-5 win in the sixth spot that helped clinch the league contest for the Cowgirls. Jurakova put the stamp on the match with a win from the No. 3 spot.
 
The Cowgirls will continue Southland Conference action Sunday morning with a contest against Northwestern State that is slated to begin at 11 a.m. The in-state rivalry has split the last two years with McNeese defeating the Lady Demons in 2014 while NSU took the win in 2015.
 
McNeese State 5, Stephen F. Austin 2
Apr 02, 2016 at Lake Charles, La. (Nancy Hank Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. Giovanna Fioretti (MCN) def. Denise Maxl (SFA) 6-3, 6-2
2. Dhanielly Quevedo (SFA) def. Julia Kral (MCN) 6-0, 6-1
3. Sarah Jurakova (MCN) def. Valeria Terentyeva (SFA) 5-7, 6-1, retired
4. Hannah Brett (MCN) def. Lauren Hidalgo-Smith (SFA) 6-1, 7-6
5. Vanesa Calvo Pardo (SFA) def. Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) 6-2, 6-2
6. Anastasija Trubich (MCN) def. Liza Aginskaya (SFA) 6-2, 7-6
 
Doubles competition
1. Sarah Jurakova/Giovanna Fioretti (MCN) def. Dhanielly Quevedo/Denise Maxl (SFA) 6-4
2. Hannah Brett/Anastasija Trubich (MCN) vs. Valeria Terentyeva/Vanesa Calvo Pardo (SFA) 5-6, unfinished
3. Julia Kral/Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) def. Lauren Hidalgo-Smith/Liza Aginskaya (SFA) 7-5
 
Match Notes
Stephen F. Austin 10-8, 4-4 SLC
McNeese State 13-6, 6-2 SLC
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,5,1,6,3)