Box Score

HAMMOND – With the match on the line, Southeastern Louisiana's lone senior Isabel Brito got past Nadia Dubyanskaya, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 on the No. 6 singles court to give the Lions a key 4-3 victory over Sam Houston State in Southland Conference women's tennis action Saturday afternoon at the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
                              
The Lions improved to 15-2 overall and 5-1 in Southland Conference play to bounce back from Friday's 5-2 loss to league foe Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Bearkats (5-10, 1-4 Southland) and Southeastern split the six singles matches with Southeastern taking a crucial doubles point.
 
“I was extremely proud of how our team fought against a very good Sam Houston State team,” Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes said. “If we continue to give this kind of effort we can have a very successful final month of the regular season.”
 
In doubles play, Southeastern picked up wins on the No. 2 and 3 courts. At No. 2, freshman Renee Villarreal and sophomore Adriana Castillo (11-2) were too much for Sheridan Currie and Natalie Petaia. After the Bearkats won on court 1, the point was decided at No. 3. Brito and freshman Reginka Nychytailova (3-1) outlasted Maddie Mortimore and Kayla Stevenson, 9-7, to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.   
 
For the second straight day, Villarreal and junior Valya Rusakova picked up singles victories. On the No. 3 court, Villarreal (15-0) remained unbeaten in dual match singles play with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Imke Jagau. Rusakova (12-5) was too much for Petaia in a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4.
 
Sam Houston State evened the match with wins on courts 1, 2 and 5. Brito (12-2) won a hard-fought first set in a tie breaker, before falling down 3-2 in the second set. The Badajoz, Spain native rallied to win the next four games to clinch the win for Southeastern.
 
“I was so proud of the way Isa came up big for us today,” Hayes said. “Nobody works harder and has more fight than her, plus she is a great leader and representative for our program. Her attitude represents everything you want from a student-athlete.”
 
Southeastern will take a break from Southland Conference play and hit the road for a 2 p.m. match at Houston.