THIBODAUX, La. – The Nicholls State University women's tennis team came up short in doubles play for the first time in conference play this season, but the singles lineup was able to pick up the slack as the Colonels squeaked by Abilene Christian for a 4-3 victory on Friday afternoon at the Colonel Tennis Complex.
 
The Colonels continue to have one of the best seasons in program history, improving to 15-4 on the year and 7-1 in Southland play. With the loss, Abilene Christian dropped to 7-4 and 3-4.
 
Nicholls found itself in unfamiliar territory heading into singles play, trailing 1-0 for the first time. Stephanie Barnett and Klara Skopac were defeated handedly on the No. 1 court, 8-2, while Marie Aubert and Milou Pietersz fell 8-4 at No. 2.
 
In singles, the Colonels quickly tied the match as Barnett won the first set over Kaysie Hermsdorf, 6-1, before outlasting her in a 7-6 tiebreaker. At No. 3, Aubert also won in straight sets with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Lucile Pothier, and Skopac battled Brittney Reed at No. 2 for a 7-6, 7-5 win.
 
For the bottom half of the lineup, ACU notched a pair of victories at No. 4 and 5 to even up the match. Erin Walker defeated Pietersz, 6-3, 7-6, at No. 4 while Kateryna Nakonechna saw her five-match winning streak come to an end with a close 7-6, 7-5 loss to Nada Marjanovic. However, Isla Brock continued to be nearly unbeatable as she defeated Whitney Williams, 6-4, in both sets to give Nicholls the win. Since the start of her sophomore season, Brock holds a remarkable 29-3 record in singles.
 
The Colonels will have the week off before hitting the road for a pair of huge conference matches next weekend. Nicholls will take on Northwestern State, which is 5-1 in conference, on Saturday, April 11, before taking on undefeated Stephen F. Austin on Sunday.
  
Nicholls 4, Abilene Christian 3
 
Singles
1. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) 6-1, 7-6
2. Klara Skopac (NICH) def. Brittney Reed (ACU) 7-6, 7-5
3. Marie Aubert (NICH) def. Lucile Pothier (ACU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Erin Walker (ACU) def. Milou Pietersz (NICH) 6-3, 7-6
5. Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Kateryna Nakonechna (NICH) 7-6, 7-5
6. Isla Brock (NICH) def. Whitney Williams (ACU) 6-4, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Brittney Reed/Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Stephanie Barnett/Klara Skopac (NICH) 8-2
2. Whitney Williams/Erin Walker (ACU) def. Marie Aubert/Milou Pietersz (NICH) 8-4
3. Kateryna Nakonechna/Isla Brock (NICH) vs. Lucile Pothier/Carli Knezevich (ACU) 4-6, unfinished
 
Match Notes:
Abilene Christian 7-4, 3-4 SLC
Nicholls 15-4, 7-1 SLC