MONROE, La. - The Nicholls State University women's tennis team faced one of its toughest tests of the early season as they headed north to take on an undefeated ULM squad on Friday and the Colonels would come away with a 4-1 victory at Heard Stadium.
 
Nicholls (3-1) took the doubles point by winning two of the three matches. After dropping the match on the No. 1 court, Isla Brock/Kateryna Nakonechna evened up the score with a 6-3 win at No. 2 and Marie Aubert/ Klara Skopac clinched the point with a hard fought 7-5 win over Anadhi Botha/ Jana Duhanova.
 
In singles, Stephanie Barnett made quick work of Amy Olivier on the No. 1 court with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Petra Horakova  put ULM on the board with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Skopac at No. 3, but the Colonels responded with victories on the No. 2 and 6 courts to take the match. Aubert won 6-1, 6-2 before Nakonechna battled Letha Gaigher on the No. 6 court for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory.
 
"Good team effort with everyone contributing in any and every way they could. This team is getting very close to a point where they are refusing to accept anything but all around excellence and commitment from each other at any cost on a daily basis. Sometimes that is all it takes to win matches and today was a situation where they really had to dig deep against an extremely talented and well coached ULM team," said Meenaksi Sundaram, Nicholls tennis head coach. "With a long season ahead and not having started conference play yet , a win like this makes it all the more important to bring it to practice every day and turn it up a notch. Great job ladies!!!"
 
The Colonels will return to the court next weekend with four matches in the Troy Trojan Jamboree. Nicholls opens conference play on Feb. 27 at New Orleans.
 
Nicholls 4, ULM 1
 
Singles
1. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Amy Olivier (ULM) 6-1, 6-2
2. Marie Aubert (NICH) def. Sophie Rufyikiri (ULM) 6-1, 6-4
3. Petra Horakova (ULM) def. Klara Skopac (NICH) 6-3, 6-1
4. Anandhi Botha (ULM) vs. Milou Pietersz (NICH) unfinished
5. Jana Duhanova (ULM) vs. Isla Brock (NICH) unfinished
6. Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) def. Letha Gaigher (ULM) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
 
Doubles
1. Sophie Rufyikiri/Petra Horakova (ULM) def. Milou Pietersz/Stephanie Barnett (NICH) 6-4
2. Isla Brock/Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) def. Letha Gaigher/Amy Olivier (ULM) 6-3
3. Marie Aubert/Klara Skopac (NICH) def. Anandhi Botha/Jana Duhanova (ULM) 7-5
 
Match Notes:
Nicholls 3-1
ULM 4-1
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,3,2,6)