NSU Sports
Don Vieth, Director of Athletics Communications
TAHLEQUAH – Northeastern State clinched a share of the MIAA regular season title with a 6-3 win over Northwest Missouri on Friday afternoon.
The match win was their 37th straight in MIAA regular season play, and it will be the RiverHawks fourth straight conference title.
Additionally, NSU continued to get good news, and they are ranked on-top of the NCAA Central Region which decides the postseason tournament. If the season ended today, the RiverHawks will be a host site for the NCAA Central Region.
In Friday’s match the RiverHawks went up early picking up points on the first two courts, Molly Worden and Valeriia Efimenko won in the top-doubles slot 8-3.
In singles play, Betka Gombarova was off the court first with a 6-1, 6-0 win in the five-slot. Caitlin McCullough got the RiverHawks a point away with a 6-1, 6-2 victory on court-2, and Karla Tomaic clinched the overall match win 6-1, 6-2 on court-4. Worden moved to 14-3 in dual play this season for NSU’s sixth point with 6-2, 6-2 in the top singles slot.
Friday’s loss sends the Bearcats to 5-10 and 2-4 in the MIAA, Northeastern State has won nine in a row and holds a 14-5 record with an 8-0 league mark.
The RiverHawks close out MIAA play on Saturday at 2 p.m. with Missouri Western State visiting, a win for NSU will clinch them the outright league title.
Singles competition
1. No. 30 Molly Worden (NSU) def. Jarolim,Lorena Rivas (NWMSU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Caitlin McCullough (NSU) def. Kolen,Aniek (NWMSU) 6-1, 6-2
3. Teruel,Tania (NWMSU) def. Easton Parker (NSU) 6-2, 6-3
4. Karla Tomaic (NSU) def. Lovig,Tess (NWMSU) 6-1, 6-2
5. Betka Gombarova (NSU) def. Jacquet,Margaux (NWMSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Sestokaite,Vilune (NWMSU) def. Emma Warnock (NSU) 6-2, 5-7, 11-9
Doubles competition
1. No. 20 Molly Worden/Valeriia Efimenko (NSU) def. Teruel,Tania/Souza,Luiza (NWMSU) 8-3
2. Easton Parker/Caitlin McCullough (NSU) def. Jarolim,Lorena Rivas/Kolen,Aniek (NWMSU) 8-2
3. Jacquet,Margaux/Lovig,Tess (NWMSU) def. Karla Tomaic/Betka Gombarova (NSU) 8-4
Match Notes
Northwest Missouri 5-10, 2-4 MIAA; Regional ranking No. 9
Northeastern State 14-5, 8-0 MIAA; National ranking No. 20; Regional ranking No. 3 (ITA)
Official: Mike Conley T-3:30 A-40
| Central Region | Overall D-II Record | In-Region Record | |
| 1. | Northeastern St. | 12-2 | 12-2 |
| 2. | Southwest Baptist | 12-2 | 10-1 |
| 3. | Southeastern Okla. | 9-2 | 9-2 |
| 4. | Central Okla. | 10-7 | 10-7 |
| 5. | Neb.-Kearney | 8-7 | 8-5 |
| 6. | Harding | 5-4 | 5-4 |
| 7. | Washburn | 7-7 | 6-7 |
| 8. | Augustana (SD) | 10-2 | 9-2 |
| 9. | Arkansas Tech | 8-5 | 6-4 |