Women's Tennis Stings Stephen F. Austin, Advances to Semifinals

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BEAUMONT, Texas – The New Orleans Privateers women's tennis team played their longest match of the season, spanning five hours as they edged the 2-seed Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks 4-3 in the first round of the Southland Tournament on Friday at the Beaumont Municipal Tennis Center.
 
Anna Segarra Rius clinched the match for New Orleans by earning the deciding point in a three-set battle. Segarra won the first set over Dhanielly Quevedo, but lost the second set 7-5. Segarra knuckled down in the third set grinding to a 6-4 victory to clinch the match and the Privateers' 15^th win of the season.
 
The Privateers fell behind early after dropping the doubles point in a hard fought affair. Stephen F. Austin got wins at the 1 and 3 positions by scores of 8-5 and 8-6 respectively. The match at #2 doubles went unfinished tied at 7-7.
 
In singles however, the Privateers flipped the script controlling the latter part of the rotation. Anja Luethi was the second singles match to finish as she earned the first point by cruising by Denise Maxl 6-3, 6-1.
 
Hafsa Laraibi also earned a straight set victory at #6 singles. Laraibi defeated Julia Lorca 6-2, 6-3. Laraibi has won nine in a row after earning the win and all nine of those wins have come in straight sets. That victory tied the score of the match at 2-2.
 
Yasmine Rashad also earned a point by taking a victory at #5 singles. After losing the first set 6-4 to Valerie Terentyeva, Rashad came back to dominate the next two sets, not dropping a game to set up the match deciding point.
 
With the win, the Privateers move on to the semifinals to face 3-seed, Northwestern State. The match is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start.
 
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