THIBODAUX, La. - Despite a valiant effort by the No. 11 seed Nicholls State University women's tennis team against No. 6 McNeese, the Colonels came up short in a 4-0 loss to the Cowgirls in the opening round of the Southland Conference Tournament Tuesday night at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex.

Nicholls (8-14) and McNeese (19-6) were originally scheduled to play during the second wave of matches at 2 p.m. but lightning and rain in the area pushed the start time back to 7:15 p.m. 

The teams started off with doubles play and Nicholls enjoyed early leads on lines 2 and 3. But Salome Fluri/Stella Rundova struck first for the Cowgirls with a 6-2 win at No. 1. 

McNeese rallied back to push the two remaining matches to 4-4 ties. The Colonels' Sophia Sara Safarova and Constanza Cruz were in a battle at No. 3 against Ana Hollweg/Elena Morales and came within a point of securing the match with a 6-5 advantage. However, Erica Hagi/Alexa Martinez did just enough for McNeese to notch a 6-4 win against Blanca Losada and Noemie Piquet. 

In singles, Paulina Villegas was the first player to win a set, taking the opener at No. 2. Between the six courts, Nicholls and McNeese split the first sets with Julia Bordiginon and Losada also winning their sets. But their matches went unfinished as McNeese reeled off straight-set wins on courts No. 1, 3 and 6. Rundova clinched the match at No. 6 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Cruz.