NATCHITOCHES – Two dramatic three-set singles wins on a very windy Sunday afternoon completed a Stephen F. Austin rally to a 4-3 Southland Conference women's tennis victory at Northwestern State, despite Lady Demons senior Natalya Krutova sweeping her singles and doubles matches.

With the match tied 2-2, NSU's Polina Mutel pulled off a 7-6 (4), 6-4 triumph in the No. 3 position over Valeria Terentyeva. The Nos. 4 and 5 singles matches were deep into third sets, and SFA prevailed in both 6-4. Lauren Hildago-Smith won 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 over NSU's Barbora Kollarova at No. 4 to knot the match score 3-all, and Vanesa Calvo Pardo won the last two games in a decisive 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 battle with Polina Ivanova to end the match.

To open the afternoon match at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex, Krutova and Ivanova won 6-2 in the No. 1 slot as NSU claimed the doubles point on a 6-2 win at No. 3 by Kollarova and Ilijana Ivic. The No. 2 contest went unfinished.

Krutova then moved NSU up 2-0 with an impressive 6-4, 6-4 No. 1 singles triumph over Denise Maxl.

SFA bounced back as Dhanielly Quevedo topped NSU's Iryna Vardanian in the No. 2 contest 6-1, 6-4, and tied the match at 2 when Liza Aginskaya held off Alzbeta Veverkova 6-0, 6-4 at No. 6.

Mutel's hard-fought victory bumped the Lady Demons back on top before the Ladyjacks edged their hosts in the last two pairings.

"Natalya Krutova played very well today, and so did Polina Mutel," said Lady Demon coach Olga Bazhanova. "Their performances made them deserving winners in a very competitive match today."

With her singles victory, Krutova moved into a tie for sixth with N-Club Hall of Fame member Karen Patel in career wins (56). Her doubles victory, her ninth of the season, edged her within one of Patel's 63 that ranks sixth all-time at NSU.

SFA improved to 8-6 overall and 2-2 in the Southland. NSU dipped to 5-9 overall and 1-3 in the conference heading into home matches Friday against New Orleans and Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana at the Jack Fisher Tennis Complex.