HAMMOND, La. - The Nicholls State University women's tennis team went 1-3 over the weekend in the 2017 George E. Fourmaux Fed Cup Invitational in Hammond, taking sixth place out of eight teams. 

Following a setback to New Orleans Friday, the Colonels split Saturday's matches. Nicholls fell to Southland foe Lamar, 4-1, before shutting out NAIA Loyola University New Orleans. The Colonels then took on Louisiana-Lafayette Sunday in the fifth-place match and were edged, 3-2.

While Stephanie Barnett was the lone winner Friday against UNO, the redshirt junior suffered a three-set defeat in the match against Lamar. She and Jasmin Buchta alternated 6-3 wins before Buchta came away with a 10-8 victory in the decisive set. The winning point for the Colonels was courtesy of sophomore Mariia Kozachok who took down LU's Kaela Di Giulio, 6-4, 6-1.

Against Loyola, the Colonels won two of the four singles matches in straight sets. Freshmen Marina Vigil and Anastasia Kuzevanova won their matches in two sets while Kozachok and Changwei Wei won close three-set battles. Barnett and Lingfeng Gu teamed up for a win in doubles.

Sunday's match saw the Colonels and Ragin' Cajuns split singles play, with Barnett and Kozachok picking up victories. But the difference came in doubles as Kuzevanova / Wei came up short against Elena Sava / Dana Radovanocic, 6-0, 6-4. 

The 2018 spring schedule will be released on a later date. For the latest news on Colonel Tennis, follow the team on Twitter @Nicholls_WTEN. 

2017 George E. Fourmaux Fed Cup Invitational – Final Results
1st Place – McNeese (4-0)
2nd Place – Lamar (3-1)
3rd Place – New Orleans (3-1)
4th Place – Southeastern Louisiana (2-2)
5th Place – UL Lafayette (2-2)
6th Place – Nicholls (1-3)
7th Place – Alcorn State (1-3)
8th Place – Loyola (N.O.) (0-4)
 
Lamar 4, Nicholls 1
Singles:
Jasmin Buchta (LU) def. Stephanie Barnett (NICH) 3-6, 6-3, 10-8
Sanja Jolic (LU) def. Lingfeng Gu (NICH) 6-3, 6-0
Mariia Kozachok (NICH) def. Kaela Di Giulio (LU) 6-4, 6-1
Natalia Molina (LU) def. Marina Vigil (NICH) 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 10-5
Doubles:
Anita Bozhko/Stephanie Marchena (LU) def. Anastasia Kuzevanova/Changwei Wei (NICH) 6-3,
7-5
 
Nicholls 5, Loyola (N.O.) 0
Singles:
Mariia Kozachok (NICH) def. Arianna Pepper (LOY) 3-6, 7-5, 11-9
Marina Vigil (NICH) def. Manuela Alban (LOY) 6-4, 7-5
Changwei Wei (NICH) def. Nadja Oschner (LOY) 4-6, 6-1, 10-8
Anastasia Kuzevanova (NICH) def. Miranda Cano (LOY) 6-2, 6-1
Doubles:
Stephanie Barnett/Lingfeng Gu (NICH) def. Gabrielle Terranova/Margaret Adams (LOY) 6-2, 6-
0
 
UL Lafayette 3, Nicholls 2 (5th Place Match)
Singles:
Stephanie Barnett (NICH) def. Kelly Drew (ULL) 6-4, 7-5
Floriane Picaut (ULL) def. Lingfeng Gu (NICH) 6-1, 6-1
Mariia Kozachok (NICH) def. Abby Johnson (ULL) 3-6, 6-2, 10-6
Marina Rodriguez Garcia (ULL) def. Marina Vigil (NICH) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles:
Elena Sava/Dana Radovanocic (ULL) def. Anastasia Kuzevanova/Changwei Wei (NICH) 6-0, 6-
4