HUNTSVILLE — The Sam Houston tennis team started Southland Conference play with a bang Sunday by knocking off Nicholls 6-1 at the McAdams Tennis Center.
 
The matched opened with singles play due to the threat of inclement weather in the area. The Bearkats (5-2, 1-0) took five of the six matches to seal the victory.
 
Junior Sahaja Yamalapalli made quick work of Simona Maksimovic in No. 1 singles action. Yamalapalli won 6-1, 6-0 to improve to 6-0 on the season.
 
Sophomore Isidora Zivkovic (5-2) defeated Laura Lopez 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 singles, while junior Karla De La Luz Montalvo (4-3) topped Nikita Pinto 6-0, 6-0 in the No. 3 spot.
 
Freshman Sahithi Vutukuru's win at No. 5 singles clinched the match for Sam Houston. She defeated Nuria Martin Lopez 6-0, 6-2 to improve to 3-0.
 
Senior Constadena Nicolaou won her No. 4 singles match. She stopped Carla Bouygues 7-6, 6-3 to remain unbeaten at 5-0.
 
The Bearkats swept the doubles point.
 
Yamalapalli and junior Roos Gerritsen defeated Pinto and Lopez 6-2 at No. 1, while Nicolaou and freshman Andrijana Brkic toppled Bouygues and Maksimovic 6-2 in the No. 2 spot. Montalvo and sophomore Petra Kaszas knocked off Morgan Forshag and Martin Lopez 6-4 at No. 3.
 
Sam Houston will travel to San Antonio Friday to face Incarnate Word at 1 p.m.