NATCHITOCHES, La.  – The Nicholls women's tennis team's late season woes continued as the Colonels fell 6-1 against Northwestern State Sunday at the Jack Fisher Complex.

The loss was Nicholls' (8-13, 1-6) fifth straight, dropping the Colonels to five games under .500 on the year. NSU improved to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in the Southland.

The Colonels struggled in doubles, losing the point for the eighth time in the last nine matches. Nicholls was swept in doubles for the second straight time, with Natalia Cardiff/Isla Brock (No. 1) and Rachel Howie/Emma Pitre (No. 2) falling 8-4, while Marie Aubert/Eva Castiglioni was defeated 8-6.

In singles, the Lady Demons took four of the six matchups in straight sets, including shutouts in the No. 3 and 4 matches. Cardiff (No. 2) and Brock (No. 5) were the only Colonels to win a set with Brock winning her tiebreaker. Cardiff fell 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 to Tatiana Larina while Brock won 4-6, 6-1, 10-5 against Olga Leyshyna.

The Colonels will return to action April 9 in Beaumont, Texas against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

Northwestern State 6, Nicholls 1
Singles competition
1. Konop, Polina (NWLA) def. Marie Aubert (NICH) 6-3, 6-4
2. Larina, Tatiana (NWLA) def. Natalia Cardiff (NICH) 6-3, 5-7, 10-8
3. Krutova, Natalya (NWLA) def. Eva Castiglioni (NICH) 6-0, 6-0
4. Nedorostova, Andrea (NWLA) def. Rachel Howie (NICH) 6-0, 6-0
5. Isla Brock (NICH) def. Leyshyna, Olga (NWLA) 4-6, 6-1, 10-5
6. Simonova, Daniela (NWLA) def. Emma Pitre (NICH) 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Larina, Tatiana/Nedorostova, Andrea (NWLA) def. Natalia Cardiff/Isla Brock (NICH) 8-4
2. Krutova, Natalya/Konop, Polina (NWLA) def. Rachel Howie/Emma Pitre (NICH) 8-4
3. Simonova, Daniela/Williams, Amy (NWLA) def. Marie Aubert/Eva Castiglioni (NICH) 8-6

Match Notes:
Nicholls 8-13, 1-6
Northwestern State 10-6, 5-2