FORT SMITH, Ark. – Northeastern State secured a narrow 4-3 victory over Missouri Western State on Saturday in a neutral-site Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) women's tennis matchup at The Hangout.

The RiverHawks (4-7, 2-0 MIAA) capitalized on strong doubles play to clinch the match. Despite splitting the six singles matches evenly, NSU's edge came in the doubles round, where the team won two of three contests to earn the deciding point.

Tegan Heaton led the way in singles for Northeastern State with a gritty three-set win over Missouri Western's Cristina Granero Boj at the No. 1 spot, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Lucia Bontempo and Barbora Havlova added straight-set victories at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively. Havlova dispatched Kyleigha Fenwick 6-1, 6-0, while Bontempo cruised past Ellie Messenger 6-1, 6-2.

In doubles action, NSU's No. 2 team of Adel Ismagulova and Annika Kleinhans defeated Celia Castano and Johanna Priedite 6-3, while the No. 3 duo of Camila de Michele and Sofia Kotliarova secured a 6-3 win over Fenwick and Messenger. Missouri Western managed to claim the No. 1 doubles match with Granero Boj and Elena Rey Garcia edging Bontempo and Heaton 7-6 (9-7).

Despite the setback, Missouri Western (4-7, 1-3 MIAA) had strong showings in singles. Priedite bounced back from a first-set loss to defeat Ismagulova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2, while Castano and Garcia notched straight-set wins at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

The RiverHawks return to action on April 11, where they will face Nebraska-Kearney on the road at 11 a.m.