Monday, March 24, 2014

Gold Nuggets win at Cumberland, but Gold Rush lose

LEBANON, Tennessee  --  Xavier University of Louisiana defeated Cumberland 5-0 in women's tennis Sunday, but the XU men lost 5-2 to the Bulldogs.

All four teams are ranked by the NAIA. Xavier's women (11-5) are No. 2, and the men (6-9) are seventh. Cumberland's women (3-4) are 15th, and the men (3-4) are eighth.

The Gold Nuggets received two default victories because Cumberland had five women available. Brandi Nelson clinched with a 6-1, 6-0 decision against Tais Lacerda Bezerra at No. 5 singles. Extending her doubles win streak to 11 was Simone-Alyse Ewell, who teamed with Nour Abbes for an 8-3 decision against Angelica Sepulveda and Franki Jecker.

Kourtney Howell and Brion Flowers beat Alena Gizdic and Antea Dedic 8-3 for their fourth consecutive victory and the seventh in their last eight matches.

The Gold Nuggets are 6-2 this season against ranked NAIA teams. Overall, the Nuggets have won eight of their last nine duals.

In the men's dual, Cumberland avenged a 5-4 loss to the Gold Rush from March 8 at the AUM Invitational. The Bulldogs won both NAIA top-20 matchups -- Antonio Manuel Marcelo and Diogo Soares beat Kyle Montrel and Nikita Soifer 8-2 in doubles, and Marcelo defeated Montrel 6-3, 6-4 in singles.

Winning for Xavier were Kevin Chaouat and Tushar Mandlekar, who beat Pablo Borrero and Andres Burgos 8-6 at No. 2 doubles, and Vincenzo Ciccone in a 6-4, 6-4 No. 6 singles decision against Garry Tokas.

Chaouat and Mandlekar have won seven of their last nine. Ciccone has won four of his last five singles matches.

The Gold Rush are 4-5 this season against ranked NAIA teams.

Next duals for XU's men and women will be April 5 at 2 p.m. against Auburn Montgomery at the XU Tennis Center. AUM's men are ranked second in the NAIA, and the women are third. It will be the first Gold Rush home dual since Feb. 7.

Results:  Men    Women

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
https://twitter.com/xulagold
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