MOBILE, Ala. — Pierre Andrieu earned the lone tennis victory Saturday for Xavier University of Louisiana as the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets dropped dual matches to South Alabama.
     The XULA men lost 6-1, and the women lost 7-0. It was first competition of 2018 for both XULA teams.
     Andrieu, a sophomore and a returning letterman, defeated Collin Scheufler 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. XULA dropped three-set matches at the top two flights — Catalin Fifea lost 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 to Loic Cloes at No. 1, and Samir Chikhaoui lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 to Olivier Gingras.
     In the women's dual, the closest matches were Yi Chen Pao's 6-1, 7-5 loss to Nikola Kohoutova at No. 4 singles amd Charlene Goreau and Manon Bonada's 6-3 loss to Yu Fujioka and Alina Zolotareva at No. 2 doubles.
     It was the opener for the South Alabama men. The Jaguar women are 2-0.
     South Alabama is a member of NCAA Division I, and XULA is a longtime NAIA power.
     XULA's men will play dual matches at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. next Saturday at NCAA DI Louisiana-Lafayette. The following day (Jan. 28), both XULA teams will play their home opener at noon against city rival Loyola.