THIBODAUX  – The Nicholls State University women's tennis team improved to 2-0 in its final homestand by knocking off Central Arkansas, 4-3, in Southland Conference action on Saturday afternoon at the Colonel Tennis Complex.

With the win, Nicholls (8-11, 2-7) captured its third consecutive victory. The Colonels will wrap up its 2012 home slate on Sunday against Northwestern State, with first serve scheduled for 10 a.m.

In doubles competition, the Colonels won the point by taking the No. 1 and No. 2 matches by identical 8-5 scores. The duo of Parija Maloo/ Janna Leeuwerik defeated Central Arkansas' Allison Hartman/ Allison Murphy in the top match, improving their doubles record to a staggering 14-3 mark. In the No. 2 match, Colonels Marie Aubert and Catherine Gauthier dropped Simona Horsikyan/ Kazumi Otani to give Nicholls the point. Central Arkansas (7-15, 1-8) won the third match by default.

In singles, Maloo and Aubert won the No. 1 and No. 2 flights, respectively, 6-2, 6-2. Maloo's victory against Horsikyan upped her record to 16-3, while Aubert improved to 17-2 on the year by defeating Murphy.

With Nicholls up 3-1, the Sugar Bears stayed in the match with two straight-set wins as Leeuwerik and Gauthier suffered the losses for the Colonels. While Gauthier and Leeuwerik picked up the deciding points in the Colonels' last two outings, it was Marina Ljoshevska who came through for Nicholls, winning the No. 4 flight against Hartman, 6-2, 6-1.

Following Sunday's match against NSU, the Colonels will close out the regular season at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on April 18.

Nicholls 4, Central Arkansas 3
Singles
1. Parija Maloo (NICH) def. Horsikyan, Simona (UCA) 6-2, 6-2
2. Marie Aubert (NICH) def. Murphy, Allison (UCA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Horsikyan, Kristina (UCA) def. Janna Leeuwerik (NICH) 6-2, 6-2
4. Marina Ljoshevska (NICH) def. Hartman, Allison (UCA) 6-2, 6-1
5. Ruocco, Sasha (UCA) def. Catherine Gauthier (NICH) 6-2, 6-2
6. Otani, Kazumi (UCA) def. No player (NICH), by default

Doubles
1. Maloo/ Leeuwerik (NICH) def. Hartman, Allison/Murphy, Allison (UCA) 8-5
2. Aubert/ Gauthier (NICH) def. Horsikyan, Simona/Otani, Kazumi (UCA) 8-5
3. Ruocco, Sasha/Horsikyan, Kristina (UCA) def. No player/No player (NICH), by default