Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Mar. 19, 2010) - Facing their final NCAA Division I team of the season, the No. 24 Nova Southeastern University women's tennis team fell to Columbia 8-1 on Friday at the NSU Tennis Center at Rolling Hills.

The Sharks' (4-7) only point of the day came at No. 6 singles. Federica Longo (Fr., Buenos Aires, Argentina) came away with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Lucy Leopold.

In doubles play, Nicole Bartnik and Katarina Kovacevic swept Elisa Leeder (Sr., Eisenhuettenstadt, Germany) and Justine Feaster (So., Escondido, Calif.) 8-0 in the No. 1 slot. Natasha Makarova and Chelsea Davie defeated Mary Crider (Sr., Georgetown, Texas) and Paige Lindsley (Jr., Albuquerque, N.M.) 8-2 at No. 2 doubles. Eliza Matache and Natalia Christenson had an 8-3 win over Blake Bauer (Fr., Miami, Fla.) and Longo at No. 3 doubles.

Both Feaster and Bauer went to three sets in their singles matches. Playing against Davis at No. 2 singles, Feaster won the first set 7-5, but fell to Davis in the final two sets 6-1, 10-7. At No. 3 singles, Kovacevic took the first set from Bauer 6-3, but Bauer came back for a 6-4 win in the second set. However, Kovacevic pulled away in the final set with a 10-4 win.

Makarova defeated Leeder 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, while Matache won 6-0, 6-2 over Crider at No. 4 singles. Diana Shapoval won by default over Lindsley at No. 5 singles.

NSU has two more matches remaining on its nine-match homestand. The Sharks are back in action on Tuesday when they host Trinity (Conn.), a NCAA Division III program, at 2 p.m., at the NSU Tennis Center at Rolling Hills.