NEW ORLEANS — Sophomores Sha'Nel Bruins and Adam Albrecht delivered clinching singles victories Tuesday to lead Xavier University of Louisiana to dual-match tennis decisions against Alcorn State.
    The Gold Nuggets (5-5), ranked third in the NAIA, defeated Alcorn State 5-4. The Gold Rush (4-1), ranked eighth, won 5-3.
    Bruins, playing on her birthday, rallied from an 8-4 deficit in the third-set super-tiebreaker to defeat Aakanksha Punj 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (14-12) at the sixth flight. Albrecht ended the men's dual when he beat Garry Amor 6-3, 6-0 at the fifth flight.
    Bruins and Brandi Nelson won in doubles and singles for the Gold Nuggets, who defeated an NCAA Division I opponent for the first time in five attempts this season.
    Also scoring for the Nuggets was sophomore Nour Abbes, who defeated Aida Kelic 6-3, 6-2. Abbes, ranked first in the NAIA, is 37-1 in her XU singles career, 20-1 this season and 7-0 this semester.
    For the Gold Rush, Kyle Montrel and Tushar Mandlekar won in doubles and singles. Montrel, playing with his third partner in five duals, improved to 5-0 in doubles this semester when he and Vincenzo Ciccone beat Amor and Kilian Salgado 8-4.
    The XU men have won three straight and are 4-0 at home this season.
    Alcorn State's men are 2-7, and its women are 1-8.
    "Birthday girl Sha'Nel pulled it out for us," XU coach Alan Green said. "This was a huge win for our women. We couldn't lose again like last night (5-4 to Brenau), and     Sha'Nel didn't let it happen. This was a very nerve-racking match against one of the best teams in the SWAC.
    "The guys played very well despite not having two starters in the lineup."
    Xavier's men will visit the University of New Orleans at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Both XU teams will play a pair of home duals Saturday -- 10 a.m. against Rhodes and 2 p.m. against Tougaloo.

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Men's Tennis Results
Xavier 5, Alcorn State 3

Tuesday, February 24, 2015
XU Tennis Center, New Orleans, La.
Weather:  Broken clouds, 48 degrees, wind N at 9 mph, humidity 66 percent
Xavier victories highlighted

Doubles
No. 1 — Ernesto Santillan-Nikita Kostikov (ASU) d. Adam Albrecht-Kevin Chaouat (XU) 8-3.
No. 2 — Tushar Mandlekar-Manav Chakma (XU) d. Nischay Rawal-Vasudev Vijayaraman (ASU) 9-7.
No. 3 — Kyle Montrel-Vincenzo Ciccone (XU) d. Garry Amor-Kilian Salgado (ASU) 8-4.

Singles
No. 1 — Kyle Montrel (XU) d. Ernesto Santillan (ASU) 3-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-6).
No. 2 — Tushar Mandlekar (XU) d. Nikita Kostikov (ASU) 6-0, 6-4.
No. 3 — Nischay Rawal (ASU) d. Vincenzo Ciccone (XU) 6-4, 6-3.
No. 4 — Vasudev Vijayaraman (ASU) d. Manav Chakma (XU) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-5).
No. 5 — Adam Albrecht (XU) d. Garry Amor (ASU) 6-3, 6-0.
No. 6 — Jeremiah Capdeville (XU) vs. Kilian Salgado (ASU), did not finish . . . Capdeville led 7-5, 3-2.

Order of Finish: Doubles — 1, 3, 2. Singles — 2, 3, 1, 4, 5. 
Records: Xavier 4-1, Alcorn State 2-7.

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Women's Tennis Results
Xavier 5, Alcorn State 4

Tuesday, February 24, 2015
XU Tennis Center, New Orleans, La.
Weather:  Broken clouds, 48 degrees, wind N at 9 mph, humidity 66 percent
Xavier victories highlighted

Doubles
No. 1 — Aida Kelic-Ivana Boberic (ASU) d. Nour Abbes-Carmen Nelson (XU) 9-8 (7-5).
No. 2 — Brion Flowers-Brandi Nelson (XU) d. Siobhan Ryan-Bovey-Ekaterina Potopova (ASU) 9-7.
No. 3 — Jana van der Walt-Sha'Nel Bruins (XU) d. Aakanksha Punj-Patricia Normand (ASU) 9-7.

Singles
No. 1 — Nour Abbes (XU) d. Aida Kelic (ASU) 6-3, 6-2.
No. 2 — Siobhan Ryan-Bovey (ASU) d. Carmen Nelson (XU) 6-1, 6-4.
No. 3 — Ivana Boberic (ASU) d. Jana van der Walt (XU) 6-4, 6-0.
No. 4 — Ekaterina Potopova (ASU) d. Brion Flowers (XU) 6-1, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7).
No. 5 — Brandi Nelson (XU) d. Patricia Normand (ASU) 6-4, 7-5.
No. 6 — Sha'Nel Bruins (XU) d. Aakanksha Punj (ASU) 3-6, 6-1, 1-0 (14-12).

Order of Finish: Doubles — 3, 1, 2. Singles — 2, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Records: Xavier 5-5, Alcorn State 1-8.

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