THIBODAUX, La. — For more than an hour Thursday night, Nicholls and UIW searched for the breakthrough that would separate two evenly matched Southland Conference opponents.

Kate Guillory finally provided it.

Guillory scored in the 67th minute, and the Colonels protected the lead the rest of the way to earn a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals at the Thibodaux Regional Sports Complex.

Nicholls created several of the better opportunities during the opening 45 minutes but couldn’t turn its pressure into a goal. The Colonels attempted nine shots before halftime and forced UIW goalkeeper Hannah Alexander into five saves.

Sammi Doyle helped provide an early spark off the bench. She put an attempt on goal in the 21st minute and finished the match with two shots. Olyvia Pugh, Jezlyn Nelson and Alyssa Wheeler also challenged the UIW defense as Nicholls continued searching for an opening.

The Cardinals came out more aggressive after halftime, but the Colonels’ defense held firm.

Then came the decisive moment.

With the match still scoreless, Guillory found space in the open field and turned the opportunity into the game’s only goal at the 66:45 mark. Her finish gave Nicholls a 1-0 advantage with a little more than 23 minutes remaining.