While Putri Insani was No. 1 at singles for the windy March 12 game, the Lady Lions Southland Conference opener was a 6-1 loss against Northwestern. 

The match was originally scheduled for 11 a.m., before being moved to 2 p.m. due to weather concerns. 

The Lady Lions now have a 1-11 overall and 0-1 in the league play. The Demons came in with a 7-4 overall and now have a 1-0 for the conference and a 8-4. 

With the game starting with the doubles matches, the Demons won two out of the three matches. 

Insani and doubles partner Flory Bierma were leading on court one before the overall doubles points were decided. They have recently had a four-match-win streak this spring, with an overall score of 5-1. 

When it came to the singles matches, Insani took it away against opponent Rozalie Donalova. She was the only Lady Lion to win in the singles matches in a 6-2 and 6-3 victory. She commented on how this success gives her confidence for future matches.

“It helped me gain confidence for the next conference match and showed me things I could improve on such as stepping up to the ball and becoming more aggressive than defensive,” Isani said. 

Isani also mentioned it has been rewarding watching the team come together and give one hundred percent, despite the injuries players have been dealing with this season. 

The singles match ended with Polina Paunova falling against Northwestern player Tjasa Klevisar by 7-6 and 6-2. 

Assistant coach Dalina Dahlmans noted that the team did a great job fighting and hopes to improve their strategies. 

“I think our attitude has improved a lot and our work ethic has intensified. I think next week, we’ll be getting back to work in improving doubles and working on strategies,” Dahlmans stated.   

The Lady Lions will face off against Southern University at home on March 16.