The New Orleans Privateers women’s tennis team will face North Dakota at home on Thursday, followed by the start of their conference schedule this weekend at Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin, according to a March 11 announcement.
This update is important for fans and followers as it marks the transition from non-conference to conference play, which often determines postseason opportunities and standings.
The Privateers currently hold a 6-1 record after securing a narrow 4-3 victory over Norfolk State in their last match ten days ago. Naila Krifa clinched the deciding point with a third set tiebreak win, finishing 10-8. Fleur Sprengers remains undefeated in singles competition this season, having dropped only one set to three sets across seven matches. In doubles play, the team has achieved a combined record of 14-6, with pairs Sprengers/Danique Vermue and Kateryna Kalistratova/Nouray Khaled each holding a strong 5-1 mark together.
Originally scheduled to begin conference play last week against Northwestern State and Stephen F. Austin, both matches were postponed due to inclement weather and are now set for this weekend. Last season, New Orleans narrowly lost at home to Northwestern State by a score of 4-3; Northwestern State has won twelve of the last sixteen meetings between the teams. Both Kalistratova and Sprengers recorded singles victories in that matchup.
Since 2010, New Orleans and Stephen F. Austin have met eleven times, with Stephen F. Austin winning six of those contests—including their most recent meeting in 2025 at the Privateer Tennis Center.
Fans interested in following updates can subscribe to the University of New Orleans athletics newsletter or follow @PrivateersTN on social media platforms.
