BEAUMONT, Texas – The Southland Conference regular season champion Southeastern Louisiana tennis saw its historic season come to a close on Saturday, as Northwestern State handed the top-seeded Lions a 4-1 loss in the Southland Conference Tournament semifinals Saturday afternoon at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center.
 
Southeastern closed out the season with a 22-3 record. Northwestern State moved to 13-7 and will face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference Tournament finals on Sunday at 2 p.m.
 
Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes, who was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year for a record-tying fourth time, was proud of his team's effort. The semifinal loss does not taint the accomplishments of his young team, according to Hayes. After finishing 1-10 in league play a season ago, Hayes' squad came back to win the fourth Southland Conference regular season title in school history and tie the school record for victories in a season.
 
“We had a tremendous season and I've never had a group that has consistently fought like this group has,” Hayes said. “I couldn't be more proud of a group than I am of these young women. Northwestern State is very well-coached and we have a tremendous amount of respect for its program. We don't have any excuses today. They were just better that we were and deserved the win.”
 
The teams started with singles play due to the threat of inclement weather. Northwestern State took a 3-0 lead with straight set singles victories on the No. 1, 3 and 5 courts. Lion freshman Renee Villarreal (22-1) had her perfect spring spoiled by NSU's Natalya Krutova, who handed the Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico native a 6-1, 7-6 (11-9) defeat.
 
Southeastern junior Valya Rusakova was the lone Lady Lion to earn a singles victory. The Southland Newcomer of the Year defeated NSU's Andrea Nedorostova, 6-4, 6-1. Northwestern State then clinched the match on the No. 2 court, as Tatiana Lariana got past Lion freshman Nastya Tokareva, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.