The New Orleans Privateers women’s tennis team will play against top-seeded McNeese Cowgirls in the opening round of the Southland Tournament, according to an April 18 announcement. The match is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at the Thompson Family Tennis Center in Beaumont, with first serve set for 2 p.m.
This matchup holds significance as New Orleans secured its place in the tournament by finishing the regular season with an overall record of 8-10 and a conference record of 2-7. The Privateers earned victories over Lamar and Southeastern during Southland play and held a tiebreaker over Lamar for the final tournament spot.
Earlier this week, Fleur Sprengers and Kateryna Kalistratova were named All-Southland selections in singles. Sprengers completed her sophomore regular season at 14-3, while Kalistratova finished at 13-2. In their previous meeting with McNeese this season, New Orleans lost 5-2 but saw both Sprengers and Kalistratova secure singles wins against the conference champions.
The Privateers are aiming to advance past the first round for the first time since their win over UIW in 2022. Their opponent, McNeese, concluded its regular season with a strong record of 21-1—its only loss coming from Tarleton State—and went undefeated (9-0) within conference play. The Cowgirls currently hold a winning streak of sixteen consecutive matches.
McNeese also placed three players—Ana Hollweg, Erica Hagi, and Elena Morales—on the All-Southland First Team. Despite their dominance this year, McNeese has conceded at least two points in every conference match.
