THIBODAUX – The Nicholls State University women's tennis team took one step closer to earning a spot in the Southland Conference tournament on Saturday afternoon by knocking off McNeese State 4-3 at the Colonel Tennis Complex.

Nicholls (9-8, 3-4 SLC) has now won three of its last four conference matches to bolster its chances at claiming its first postseason berth since 1999. The Colonels will try to upset second-place Lamar on Sunday at the CTC with first serve scheduled for 11 a.m.

McNeese State (4-10, 1-7 SLC) was able to grab a 1-0 lead by taking two of the three doubles matches. Melissa Harrison and Tatiana Denezhkina won the No. 3 match for Nicholls 8-2, but Florina Nosca/Natalia Zamora lost the No. 1 battle 8-3 while Sumana Kalyanasundaram/Marina Ljoshevska fell 8-2.

In singles play, Nosca and Harrison were dropped in the No. 1 and No. 6 matches, 6-1, 6-3 and 7-5, 6-1, respectively. However, the Colonels picked up straight set victories of their own as Kalyanasundaram won the No. 3 match 6-4, 6-0 while Ljoshevska earned a 6-4, 6-1 victory at the No. 5 slot. With the match at 3-2 in favor of McNeese State, Zamora came away with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 triumph at the No. 2 position and Denezhkina won the No. 4 match, 6-1, 5-7, 6-1, securing the victory for the Colonels.

The women's and men's tennis teams will both be action tomorrow morning against Lamar University at the Colonel Tennis Complex. First serve is set for 11 a.m.

The complete results for the match against McNeese State are listed below.

Nicholls 4, McNeese State 3

Singles competition
1. Ilona Serchenko (MCN) def. Florina Nosca (NICH) 6-1, 6-3
2. Natalia Zamora (NICH) def. Ralitsa Pirdopska (MCN) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
3. Sumana Kalyanasundaram (NICH) def. Tea Tvrtkovic (MCN) 6-4, 6-0
4. Tatiana Denezhkina (NICH) def. Anastasio Surkova (MCN) 6-1, 5-7, 6-1
5. Marina Ljoshevska (NICH) def. Kwynn Biggs (MCN) 6-4, 6-1
6. Maria Frausto (MCN) def. Melissa Harrison (NICH) 7-5, 6-1

Doubles competition
1. Serchenko/ Pirdopska (MCN) def. Florina Nosca/Natalia Zamora (NICH) 8-3
2. Biggs/ Frausto (MCN) def. Sumana Kalyanasundaram/Marina Ljoshevska (NICH) 8-2
3. Melissa Harrison/Tatiana Denezhkina (NICH) def. Tvrtkovic/ Surkova (MCN) 8-2