SAN ANTONIO, Texas - The Southeastern women's tennis team advanced to its first-ever Southland Conference Tournament championship match with a 4-3 semifinal win over McNeese State Saturday afternoon at the UTSA Tennis Center.

Southeastern (18-6) won its 10th straight match by splitting the six singles matches and winning two doubles matches. McNeese State ended the season with an 18-5 overall record. The Lady Lions will face top-seeded UTA - 4-1 winners over Sam Houston State in Saturday's other semifinal - on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. for the SLC title and an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

"This is a huge win for our program," Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes said. "We have a lot of respect for the McNeese program and we had to play a great match to beat them."

Bonnie Phillips clinched the Southeastern win with a 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 win over McNeese State's Marina Gando at No. 6 singles. Gando, a first-team All-SLC pick, came into the match undefeated in SLC play and had defeated Phillips, 6-2, 6-0, earlier this season. Jana Simurkova also picked up a three-set win for the Lady Lions, defeating Urska Dobersek, 6-1, 6-7, 6-2, at No. 3 singles.

"We are so proud of Bonnie's effort today," Hayes commented. "For her to come up with a big win over one of the conference's top players, that showed her heart and determination."

Southeastern's Emilija Arnaudovska earned the other singles win for the Lady Lions. Arnaudovska improved her team-best singles mark to 20-3 with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Magali Riseleo, 6-3, 6-2.

At No. 2 doubles, Arnaudovska and Zdenka Puflerova set a new single-season school record with their 16th doubles victory, 8-4, over Dobersek and Madeleine Hakansson. Phillips and Simurkova clinched the doubles point with an 8-6 win over Ann Grobbelaar and Gando.

Southeastern Louisiana 4, McNeese State 3
Singles competition:
1. Noelia Furno (MSU) def. Breda Kovac (SLU) 7-6, 7-6
2. Emilija Arnaudovska (SLU) def. Magali Risoleo (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
3. Jana Simurkova (SLU) def. Urska Dobersek (MSU) 6-1, 6-7, 6-2
4. Madeleine Hakansson (MSU) def. Nina Knavs (SLU) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0
5. Ann Grobbelaar (MSU) def. Zdenka Puflerova (SLU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Bonnie Phillips (SLU) def. Marina Gando (MSU) 6-2, 6-7, 6-4

Doubles competition:
1. Knavs/Kovac (SLU) vs. Risoleo/Furno (MSU) unfinished
2. Arnaudovska/Puflerova (SLU) def. Dobersek/Hakansson (MSU) 8-4
3. Phillips/Simurkova (SLU) def. Grobbelaar/Gando (MSU) 8-6