BATON ROUGE, La.  – Looking for its first win ever against LSU, the Nicholls State University women's tennis team put together a valiant effort in its season opener against the No. 66 ranked Lady Tigers but came up short as the Colonels were handed a 4-2 loss at "Dub" Robinson Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

After the Colonels (0-1) fell behind 2-0, junior Marie Aubert and freshman Stephanie Barnett each won in straight sets in singles play, winning in the No. 2 and No. 3 matches, respectively. Aubert, who headed into the season with 30 career wins, defeated Ella Taylor 6-3 in both sets and Barnett evened the match at 2-2 with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Mary Jeremiah.

In the No. 5 match, Skylar Holloway gave LSU the lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Emma Kranendonk. For the decisive match at No. 4, Klara Skopac lost a close 6-4, 6-4 battle against Abigail Owens. Sophomore Isla Brock won her first set at No. 6 against Ariel Morton, 6-2, but the match went unfinished as LSU clinched the team victory at 4-2.

In doubles play, LSU grabbed a 1-0 lead with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. Brock and Kranendonk fell 6-1 against Joana Vale Costa/ Holloway, while the duo of Aubert and Skopac was defeated 6-2 versus Owens/Jeremiah. Vale Costa also won in No. 1 singles, defeating Kateryna Nakonechna 6-0, 6-3.

Nicholls will have the rest of the month off before heading to New Orleans to face Tulane on Feb. 6. First serve against the Green Wave is scheduled for 3 p.m.

#66 LSU 4, Nicholls 2

Singles competition
1. Joana Vale Costa (LSU) def. Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) 6-0, 6-3
2. Marie Aubert (NICH) def. Ella Taylor (LSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Mary Jeremiah (LSU) 6-2, 6-2
4. Abigail Owens (LSU) def. Klara Skopac (NICH) 6-4, 6-4
5. Skylar Holloway (LSU) def. Emma Kranendonk (NICH) 6-3, 6-2
6. Ariel Morton (LSU) vs. Isla Brock (NICH) 2-6, 3-2, unfinished

Doubles competition
1. Joana Vale Costa/Skylar Holloway (LSU) def. Isla Brock/Emma Kranendonk (NICH) 6-1
2. Ella Taylor/Ariel Morton (LSU) vs. Stephanie Barnett/Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) 4-3, unfinished
3. Abigail Owens/Mary Jeremiah (LSU) def. Marie Aubert/Klara Skopac (NICH) 6-2

Match Notes:
Nicholls 0-1
LSU 1-0; National ranking #66
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (1,3,2,5,4)