Box Score LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese Cowgirls (6-2, 2-1 SLC) dropped their first Southland Conference match of the season to the Northwestern State Demons (7-5, 3-0 SLC) by a score of 3-4 after starting 2-0.
 
Giovanna Fioretti and Marjia Mastilovic started the day for the Cowgirls in doubles competition. Fioretti and Mastilovic defeated the Demon duo of Judit Castillo and Kateryna Avram 6-3 to give the Cowgirls an early lead for the doubles point.
 
Next to finish were Phonexay Chitdara and Charoline Erlandsson. Chitdara and Erlandsson would prove to be no match for the Northwestern duo of Ela Iwaniuk and Emilija Dancetovic falling 2-6.
 
Set up for their third doubles point clinching set in as many matches, Sarah Jurakova and Hannah Brett would battle hard against the number one duo of Polina Ivanova and Polina Mutel. The Cowgirls would tie sets at six a piece before dropping the last to lose the set and point 6-7.
 
In singles matches Northwestern would jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Ela Iwaniuk would defeat McNeese's Marjia Mastilovic in straight sets 6-2 and 6-0 to give the Demons their second overall point of the day.
 
Next to finish would be Sarah Jurakova and Polina Ivanova. Jurakova would triumph over the Northwestern competitor beating her 6-2 in consecutive sets and giving McNeese their first overall team point of the day.
 
Finishing third in the number one spot Giovanna Fioretti would battle with Southland Conference Player of the Week Polina Mutel. Mutel would go on to prove that she deserved the honor by defeated Fioretti 6-4 and 6-3.
 
The Cowgirls would trail 1-3 in the match before Phonexay Chitdara would go on to defeat Northwestern's Kateryna Avram in straight sets 6-2 and 6-1.
 
Cowgirl Charoline Erlandsson was firing on all cylinders in her first set against Judit Castillo defeating her 6-1. Erlandsson would stumble in her following two sets and fall to her foe by a score of 3-6 in her last two sets.
 
Castillo clinched the team win for Northwestern with the victory.
 
McNeese's Hannah Brett would finish last in the number three spot and finish strong for the Cowgirls. After dropping the first set 6-7 to Demon Emilija Dancetovic, Brett would win the last to sets 3-6 and 3-6.
 
The Cowgirls will have a rest day tomorrow before battling with the Ladyjacks of Stephen F. Austin on Sunday (March 11).

McNeese 3, Northwestern 4
 
Singles
1. Polina Mutel (NWST) def. Giovanna Fiorettie (MCN) 6-4, 6-3
2. Sarah Jurakova (MCN) def. Polina Ivanova (NWST) 6-2, 6-2
3. Hannah Brett (MCN) def. Emilija Dancetovic (NWST) 6-7, 6-3, 6-3
4. Ela Iwaniuk (NWST) def. Marjia Mastilovic (MCN) 6-2, 6-0
5. Judit Castillo (NWST) def. Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
6. Phonexay Chitdara (MCN) def. Kateryna Avram (NWST) 6-2, 6-1
 
Doubles
1. Polina Ivanova/Polina Mutel (NWST) def. Sarah Jurakova/Hannah Brett (MCN) 7-6
2. Giovanna Fioretti/Marjia Mastilovic (MCN) def. Judit Castillo/Kateryna Avram (NWST) 6-3
3. Rhea Verma/Emilija Dancetovic (NWST) def. Phonexay Chitdara/Charoline Erlandsson (MCN) 6-2 

Match Notes:
Northwestern State 7-5, 3-0 SLC
McNeese 6-2, 2-1 SLC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,2,1,6,5,3)