Saturday, April 29, 2017

NAIA power Rush win 3rd straight vs. NCAA Division I


NEW ORLEANS — For the fourth time in its last five attempts, Xavier University of Louisiana has defeated the University of New Orleans in men's tennis.

Tushar Mandlekar and Karan Salwan won in doubles and singles, and Antoine Richard and Moses Micheal saved the doubles point in the Gold Rush's 4-3 victory at UNO Monday.

XULA (11-5), ranked second in the NAIA, snapped a 2-dual losing streak but won its third in a row against an NCAA Division I opponent. It was the Gold Rush regular-season finale; next will be a May 17 dual match in the second round of the NAIA National Championship at Mobile, Ala. The NAIA will announce the 24 qualifying teams May 8 and the pairings and seedings May 9.

"Our coaching staff conducted a team meeting yesterday to air some things out, and the guys responded well today," XULA coach Alan Green said. "We got off to a good start in doubles, and the momentum carried over to singles. I give the guys full credit for the way they handled their business."

UNO led 3-2 before Salwan tied the dual with a 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 victory against Federico Staksrud on the third court — Salwan's ninth victory in 10 singles decisions this spring. Mandlekar clinched on court five with a 7-5, 7-5 victory against Luis Albuquerque.

Mandlekar and Salwan put the Gold Rush in position to win the doubles point with a 6-2 victory against Albuquerque and Giacomo Adoncecchi. Richard and Micheal saved a match point in the tiebreaker and clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (8-6) victory against Staksrud and Federico Boscarino.

The other XULA victory was on court four, where Catalin Fifea beat Nicolas Kramer 6-3, 6-3 and won for the 10th time in his last 11 singles decisions.

The Privateers (7-12), headed to Beaumont, Texas, this weekend for the Southland Conference Tournament, dropped their third in a row.

Results

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA 
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