NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana doubles pairing of Putri Insani and Ximena Yanez won the top doubles draw to highlight the SLU tennis team's performance at the fall-opening Natchitoches Women's Care Lady Demon Invitational hosted by Northwestern State.
 
Facing a tough field that included NSU, Central Arkansas, UL Lafayette, Houston and Stephen F. Austin, all seven players who competed in singles play had at least one win. Polina Sleptsova and Katya Cornejo each won the consolation draws of their respective brackets.
 
In doubles play, the team of Cornejo and Kyra Akinnibi also won the consolation draw of their bracket. Southeastern head coach Jason Hayes was satisfied with his team's performance in its fall debut.
 
"This was a great weekend for us," Hayes said. "For us to have success against the level of competition we faced the first time out this fall shows how competitive our group is."
 
The highlight was the efforts of Insani and Yanez in the feature doubles draw, who are no strangers to fall doubles success. Last fall, the Lion pair won the UCA Invitational.
 
Insani and Yanez opened the tournament with a 6-2 victory over Stephen F. Austin's Gabriela Guilarte and Annie Walker. In the semifinals, they were too much for Chunxi Yen and Mei Ishimura of Central Arkansas in a 6-4 victory. Insani and Yanez completed the win with another 6-4 win over a UCA pair, defeating Fuka Nonoyama and Yada Vasupongchai.
 
Cornejo and Akinnibi shook off a narrow 7-6 first-round loss to the NSU team of Judit Castillo Gargallo and Pati Polanska, which eventually won the tournament. On Saturday, they defeated the UL Lafayette pair of Hoda Habib and Anna Katherine Harvey, 6-1. In the consolation finals, Akinnibi and Cornejo were too much for Paulina Engback and Maja Gledic.
 
"For Putri and Ximena to win their second fall tournament is a great start," Hayes said. "Katya and Kyra played great and had match point against the eventual champions in the first round."
 
Making her collegiate debut, Sleptsova shook off a three-set 6-0, 5-7, 10-3 loss to Ela Iwaniuk in the opening round. She rebounded with wins over SFA's Ai Noa Fabre (6-3, 6-2) and Walker (6-4, 1-6, 10-1). Hayes was pleased with the debuts of his three freshmen – Sleptsova, Kim Bohlen and Teodora Mitrovic.
 
"Polina, Kim and Teodora showed great fight to start their collegiate career," Hayes stated.
 
Cornejo was edged by Harvey in the opening round, 6-1, 5-7, 10-4. She battled back with straight set wins over Alexia Tashbeva of Tyler Junior College (6-2, 6-1) and Engback (6-4, 6-2).
 
"Overall, I'd give the effort an A+ for the opening week," Hayes commented. "We're looking forward to the next tournament."
 
Next Up
This weekend will be the first of four fall tournaments for the Lions. Southeastern will travel to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico to compete in the Iberostar College Cup from Sept. 24-29.
 
Natchitoches Women's Care Lady Demon Invitational (Southeastern Results)
 
Purple Singles Draw
Putri Insani (SLU) def. Elena Tairyan (UH) 6-3, 6-2
Chunxi Xin (UCA) def. Putri Insani (SLU) 6-0, 6-1
Jovana Vukovic (UH) def. Putri Insani (SLU) 6-4, 1-6, 10-7
 
White Singles Draw
Flory Bierma (SLU) def. Dana Radavanovic (ULL) 0-6, 6-3, 10-6
Mariella Minetti (NSU) def. Flory Bierma (SLU) 6-4, 3-6, 10-6
Mariona Perez (ULL) def. Flory Bierma (SLU) 6-0, 6-2
 
Orange Singles Draw
Ela Iwaniuk (NSU) def. Polina Sleptsova (SLU) 6-0, 5-7, 10-3
Polina Slepstova (SLU) def. Ai Noa Fabre (SFA) 6-3, 6-2
Polina Slepstova (SLU) def. Annie Walker (SFA) 6-4, 1-6, 10-1
 
Black Singles Draw
Kim Bohlen (SLU) def. Armelle Cerdan (SFA) 2-6, 7-6 (0), 10-8
Judit Castillo Gargallo (NSU) def. Teodora Mitrovic (SLU) 3-6, 6-2, 10-2
Ema Dancetovic (NSU) def. Kim Bohlen (SLU) 4-6, 6-1, 10-7
Teodora Mitrovic (SLU) def. Lucia Raquin (ULL) 6-3, 6-4
Judit Castillo Gargallo (NSU) def. Kim Bohlen (SLU) 6-4, 5-7, 10-7
Armelle Cerdan (SFA) def. Teodora Mitrovic (SLU) n/a
 
Blue Singles Draw
Ximena Yanez (SLU) def. Paulina Engback (UCA) 6-2, 6-1
Anna Katherine Harvey (ULL) def. Katya Cornejo (SLU) 6-1, 5-7, 10-4
Olivia Alfredsson (NSU) def. Ximena Yanez (SLU) 6-2, 6-0
Katya Cornejo (SLU) def. Alexia Tashbeva (TJC) 6-2, 6-1
Katya Cornejo (SLU) def. Paulina Engback (UCA) 6-4, 6-2
Nida Kamal (SFA) def. Ximena Yanez (SLU) 6-4, 6-1
 
Purple Doubles Draw
Insani/Yanez (SLU) def. Guilarte/Walker (SFA) 6-2
Insani/Yanez (SLU) def. Xin/Ishimura (UCA) 6-4
Insani/Yanez (SLU) def. Nonoyama/Vasupongchai (UCA) 6-4
 
White Doubles Draw
Castillo Gargallo/Polanska (NSU) def. Akinnibi/Cornejo (SLU) 7-6 (1)
Fabre/Kamal (SFA) def. Bierma/Bohlen (SLU) 6-3
Akinnibi/Cornejo (SLU) def. Habib/Harvey (ULL) 6-1
Gledic Engback (UCA) def. Bierma/Bohlen (SLU) 6-1
Akinnibi/Cornejo (SLU) def. Gledic/Engback (UCA) 6-2
Bierma/Bohlen (SLU) def. Habib/Harvey (ULL) 7-6 (3)
 
Orange Doubles Draw
Cerdan/Bleicher (SFA) def. Mitrovic/Sleptsova (SLU) 7-6
Khamula/Tashbeva (TJC) def. Mitrovic/Sleptsova (SLU) 6-2
 
40 LOVE CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the tennis program are encouraged to join the 40 Love Club. Lion tennis alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the 40 Love Club and S Club (tennis) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern tennis program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
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