NEW ORLEANS – The Nicholls State University women's and men's tennis programs traveled to New Orleans for the Scramble on the Bayou over the weekend, but rain in the area canceled Saturday's action in the two-day event.
 
Between the two squads, the Colonels returned only two players from last season - seniors Mariia Kozachok and Lingfeng Gu on the women's team. So several members of the Red and Gray officially made their debut this weekend against Jackson State and New Orleans. Prairie View was scheduled to participate in the tournament but was unable to travel due to the recent flooding in Texas. 
 
"Although the rain shorted play, we got some good looks at where we are," Nicholls head tennis coach Greg Harkins said. "Our physical conditioning was great and our teamwork was solid. We have a young squad that's hungry and enjoying the game. Prasanna, Pavle, Antonie, Simona, Laura and Morgan all showed 'Get Tough Tennis' attitude. We're excited to get back to the courts and work towards improvement."
 
For the women, Laura Lopez and Mariia Kozachok paced the Colonels with a pair of wins against Jackson State. Lopez won in straight sets against Maria Martinez and teamed up with Mikaela Konstantinova for a victory in doubles. Kozachok took both of her sets in singles, 6-2, before she and Carla Bouygues outlasted the Lady Tiger duo in doubles, 7-6 (8-6). 
 
Morgan Forshag and Simona Maksimovic also had a win in doubles against JSU. 
 
In the matches against New Orleans, Nicholls came up short but Forshag had a strong showing in her singles competition, falling in three sets.
 
For the men, the Colonels were also swept by the Privateers but notched wins against JSU in singles. Omar Hussein and Antoine Martin-Thiriat won their matches in straight sets. 
 
UP NEXT
The men head to Beaumont for the Lamar Invitational on Oct. 11 while the women are back in action in a month in the George Comeaux Invite, hosted by Southeastern Louisiana on Oct. 25.  
 
 
WOMEN'S RESULTS
vs. Jackson State
Singles
Laura Lopez (NICH) def. Maria Martinez (JSU) 6-2, 6-4
Sofia Beggiatto (JSU) def. Mikaela Konstantinova (NICH) 6-0, 6-3
Mariia Kozachok (NICH) def. Lucia Placidi (JSU) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles
Mikaela Konstantinova/Laura Lopez (NICH) def. Noelle Frenzel/Robin Alston (JSU) 7-5
Morgan Forshag/Simona Maksimovic (NICH) def. Nina Zhang/Iesha Shepherd (JSU) 6-2
Mariia Kozachok/Carla Bouygues (NICH) def. Maria Martinez/Sofia Beggiatto (JSU) 7-6 (8-6)
 
vs. New Orleans
Singles
Ank Vullings (UNO) def. Simona Maksimovic (NICH) 6-4, 6-2
Mar Gendra (UNO) def. Morgan Forshag (NICH) 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 10-2
Claudette Gilhespie (UNO) def. Carla Bouygues (NICH) 6-1, 6-1
 
Doubles
Ank Vullings/Tristanne Dechoux def. Morgan Forshag/Simona Maksimovic (NICH) 6-2
Mar Gendra/Yurina Asai def. Mariia Kozachok/Carla Bouygues (NICH) 6-0
 
 
MEN'S RESULTS
vs. New Orleans
Singles
Mats Westkamp (UNO) def. Pavle Drobnjakovic (NICH) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)
Misha Fomenkov (UNO) def. Ricardo de Sales Chaves Machado (NICH) 6-4, 6-2
Mihajlo Drobnjakovic (UNO) def. Collin Scheufler (NICH) 6-0, 6-3
 
Doubles
Mats Westkamp/Austin Vos (UNO) def. Pavle Drobnjakovic/Ricardo de Sales Chaves Machado (NICH) 6-2
Espen Lagarde/Mihajlo Drobnjakovic (UNO) def. Omar Hussein/Antoine Martin-Thiriat (NICH) 6-4
Johannes Klein/Misha Fomenkov (UNO) def. Prasanna Pravi Bagade/Collin Scheufler (NICH) 6-3
 
vs. Jackson State
Singles
Richy Gamo (JSU) def. Prasanna Pravi Bagade (NICH) 6-4, 5-7, 10-2
Omar Hussein (NICH) def. Agustin Leguizamon (JSU) 6-3, 6-4
Antoine Martin-Thiriat (NICH) def. Jeronimo Wagner (JSU) 6-2, 6-0
 
Doubles
Agustin Leguizamon/Richy Gamo (JSU) def. Prasanna Pravi Bagade/Collin Scheufler (NICH) 6-4
Juan Soria/Agustin Agasto (JSU) def. Pavle Drobnjakovic/Ricardo de Sales Chaves Machado (NICH) 6-2