Women's Tennis Back to Conference Play Against Nicholls

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The New Orleans Privateers women's tennis team (6-4, 0-1) dives back into Southland play on Friday with a three-match winning streak as they face the Nicholls Colonels (4-2, 0-0) at the University Tennis Center. The match is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start. There will be free pizza (provided by Papa John's) and free drinks for those in attendance.
 
The Privateers won three straight over the weekend and put a cap on the 3-0 stint by defeating an opponent for the first time in a decade. New Orleans picked up wins over Southern and Xavier on Saturday then defeated Louisiana-Lafayette 5-2 on Sunday. It was the first time New Orleans defeated the Cajuns since 2005.
 
Soledad Calderon Arroyo was named the Southland Women's Tennis Player of the Week after going 5-1 between singles and doubles and obtaining the only point for the Privateers with a singles win last Wednesday in a match against LSU. Calderon and Marta Sans as a duo are 5-1 in doubles play this season.

New Orleans will be short-handed coming into the match with only five available players. Yasmine Rashad has a sprained ankle, which happened in the Privateers' win against Louisiana-Lafayette and will be unable to play on Friday.
 
The Privateers are 4-0 in the spring at home after the weekend. New Orleans will play four of their next five at the University Tennis Center against three Southland opponents (Nicholls, Lamar, Sam Houston State) and Bradley.
 
Nicholls comes in after splitting two matches at the Troy Jamboree last weekend. The Colonels defeated Alabama A&M 7-0 then lost to the host Trojans. The final scheduled match of the weekend against Tennessee-Martin was cancelled due to inclement weather.
 
Stephanie Barnett and Kateryna Nakonechna have each posted a 4-1 mark in singles for the Colonels. Barnett has played four of her five matches at the 1 position while Nakonechna has been used in the back half of the rotation.
 
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