NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas – Freshman Marie Aubert won her eighth straight singles match, but the Nicholls State University women's tennis team came up short of its first conference victory of the season, falling 4-2 against UTSA at the T Bar M Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.

The Colonels (3-7, 0-4) fell in a hole early as Marina Ljoshevska and Catherine Gauthier lost in the No. 6 and No. 2 matches, respectively, in straight sets. Junior Parija Maloo, who had won four straight heading into the matchup, fell to 2-2 on the year in conference with a 6-4, 6-3 loss at No. 1.

Nicholls was able to mount a comeback, taking the next two matches against UTSA (7-4, 2-1). Janna Leewerik gave the Colonels their first point with a solid 6-1, 6-1 victory before Aubert outlasted Micaela Silva in the No. 3 position, 6-4, 7-5. With the Roadrunners needing just one more point to clinch the match, Andrea Pont Grau could not even the score as she fell, 6-1, 6-4 in the No. 4 match.

The doubles action went unfinished, keeping the final at 4-2.

Nicholls returns to the courts on March 14 when they head to New Orleans to take on Xavier University at 3 p.m.

UTSA 4, Nicholls 2
Singes
1. Stefanie Peana (UTSA) def. Parija Maloo (NICH) 6-4, 6-3
2. Isabelle Jonsson (UTSA) def. Catherine Gauthier (NICH) 6-1, 6-2
3. Marie Aubert (NICH) def. Micaela Silva (UTSA) 6-4, 7-5
4. Kavya Menon (UTSA) def. Andrea Pont Grau (NICH) 6-1, 6-4
5. Janna Leeuwerik (NICH) def. Natalie Hand (UTSA) 6-1, 6-1
6. Irene Gonzalez (UTSA) def. Marina Ljoshevska (NICH) 6-3, 6-0