NEW ORLEANS — Alan Green earned his 200th career victory as men's head coach at Xavier University of Louisiana when the Gold Rush defeated city rival Loyola 6-3 Sunday at XULA Tennis Center.
     Green, in his 15th season at XULA, is 200-137 with the Gold Rush. He led the XULA men to NAIA national runner-up finishes each of the last two years. The Gold Rush are ranked second in the NAIA this season.
     It was a bittersweet day for Green, whose 10th-ranked women lost 5-4 to unranked Loyola. It was the Wolf Pack's first-ever tennis victory against the Gold Nuggets. Green still needs two victories to reach 200 as coach of the XULA women.
     Chris Anders clinched for the Gold Rush with his 7-5, 6-1 victory at No. 4 singles against Ernesto de Diego.
     "I didn't realize I was this close to 200," Green said. "It feels good. It just makes me think about all the teams that I've had — all the guys who put in the work to help reach this number. I can only think about them because they made it happen."
     It was the home opener for both XULA teams. The Gold Rush are 1-3, and the Gold Nuggets are 0-2. It was the opener for both Loyola teams.
     Samir Chikhaoui and Pierre Andrieu were double winners for the Gold Rush. They won 8-4 in doubles against Sean Presti and Tiger Cheung. In singles Chikhaoui beat Presti 6-4, 6-2, and Andrieu defeated Cheung 6-2, 6-1.
     The other Gold Rush singles winners were Catalin Fifea against Galileo Cabrales and Gabriel Niculescu against Alexander DePascual. Both scores were 6-0, 6-1.
     Charlene Goreau and Manon Bonada won in doubles and singles for the Gold Nuggets. They teamed for an 8-3 victory against Koral Martinez and Nadja Ochsner. In singles Goreau beat Martinez 6-3, 6-1, and Bonada led 6-3, 4-1 when Arianna Pepper retired. Yi Chen Pao scored the other Gold Nuggets point with her 6-1, 6-0 victory against Ochsner.
     "We competed as best we could today, but it didn't work out," Green said of his Nuggets.
     Next for both XULA teams will be NCAA Division I opponents. Jacksonville State's men will visit at 2 p.m. Friday, and the Gold Nuggets will play twice Saturday at Louisiana-Lafayette — 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.