HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Playing in their first contest in nearly three weeks, the Nicholls State University women's tennis team could not shake off the rust as they fell 5-2 against Sam Houston State in Southland Conference action on Saturday afternoon.

Nicholls (4-2, 0-2 SLC), competing with only five players, surrendered one point before the match began and started doubles action with only two teams. At No. 1, Florina Nosca and Natalia Zamora lost a close match 8-6 and Sam Houston State (5-2, 2-1 SLC) would take the No. 2 match against Sumana Kalyanasundaram/Marina Ljoshevska 8-3 to take a 2-0 lead.

Nosca picked up a point for the Colonels with a 6-2, 7-6 victory in the No. 1 slot. At the No. 4 spot, Kalyanasundaram earned a 7-6, 6-2 victory for the final Colonel point.

Zamora, who came into the match undefeated, suffered her first loss in singles falling 6-3, 6-3 in the No. 2 position. Tatiana Denezhkina lost in three sets in the No. 3 position, 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, as did Ljoshevska, who fell 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the fifth spot.

Nicholls returns to action on Sunday with another Southland match against Stephen F. Auston at 10 a.m.

The complete results are listed below.

Sam Houston State 5, Nicholls 2

Singles competition
1. Florina Nosca (NICH) def. Imke Jagau (SHSU) 6-2, 7-6
2. Tatyana Postnikova (SHSU) def. Natalia Zamora (NICH) 6-3, 6-3
3. Nadia Dubyanskaya (SHSU) def. Tatiana Denezhkina (NICH) 7-5, 2-6, 6-2
4. S. Kalyanasundaram (NICH) def. Anrinette Botah (SHSU) 7-6, 6-2
5. Sheridan Currie (SHSU) def. Marina Ljoshevska (NICH) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Natalie Petaia (SHSU) def. (NICH), by default

Doubles competition
1. Nadia Dubyanskaya/Tatyana Postnikova (SHSU) def. Nosca/ Zamora (NICH) 8-6
2. Sheridan Currie/Cally Woerner (SHSU) def. Kalyanasundaram/ Ljoshevska (NICH) 8-3
3. Imke Jagau/Natalie Petaia (SHSU) def. (NICH), by default

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