LAFAYETTE, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana won a pair of singles sets in the nightcap but lost a pair of dual matches Friday to Louisiana-Lafayette, both times by 4-0 scores.
     The XULA men (0-3), ranked second in the NAIA, will play their home opener at noon Sunday against city rival Loyola at XULA Tennis Center. The XULA and Loyola women's teams also will compete at that time; the Gold Nuggets are ranked 10th.
     The brightest highlights for the Gold Rush were in the second dual, where Samir Chikhaoui led Eli Lago 7-6 (7-3), 2-2 at No. 2 singles and Chris Anders was tied with Pierce Gilheany 1-6, 6-4, 2-2 at No. 4 when the Ragin' Cajuns (4-4) clinched the team victory.
     In the opener, XULA's Catalin Fifea and Pierre Andrieu dropped first sets in singles but led in the second set — Fifea by 5-3 against Arthur Libaud at the top flight — when the Cajuns clinched. Also leading were Chikhaoui and Andrieu at No. 2 doubles — 4-3 against Libaud and Jamie Fraser — but that match was not completed after the Cajuns clinched the doubles point.
     Vlad Kramarov and Pearse Dolan won a pair of singles matches for the Ragin' Cajuns. Dolan clinched the opener with his 6-0, 6-1 victory against Gabriel Niculescu at No. 4, and Nico Sojka beat Niculescu 6-0, 7-6 (7-5) at No. 5 to clinch the second dual.
     The teams endured a 93-minute rain delay. The duals had been moved up one day because of a forecast for rain Saturday.
     All three XULA dual losses this season have been to NCAA Division I opponents.