Results
PHOENIX, Ariz. — Xavier University of Louisiana
won three matches Thursday against nationally ranked opponents and rolled to an 8-1 women's tennis
victory against Arizona Christian.
It was the Gold Nuggets' third consecutive dual-match triumph
on the road against an NAIA top-15 opponent. XULA (6-7) is ranked 10th, and Arizona
Christian (7-2) is 13th.
Mariia Borodii and
Yi Chen Pao defeated
the ITA's 24th-ranked NAIA doubles team, Autria Compton and Maria Garduno, 8-1.
In singles, Borodii beat 18th-ranked Mikayla Morgan 6-1, 6-1, and
Charlene Goreau defeated 24th-ranked Tia Okano 6-0, 6-0.
Goreau was one of three Gold Nuggets to win 6-0, 6-0
in singles.
Angela Charles-Alfred did it against Garduno, and
Farah Baklouti
did it against Sydney Smith.
Pao clinched with a 6-1, 6-1 decision against Elizabeth Kelley.
All six ACU singles players were regionally ranked,
but XULA won a combined 72-of-79 games against them.
"We let a doubles match get away from us," XULA coach
Alan Green said, "and that kind of got us a little more motivated in singles.
We played well on all the singles courts."
Overall this season the Nuggets have won five duals against top-20 opponents,
all on the road.
XULA, in Phoenix for five dual matches in four days,
will play Lewis-Clark State at 2 p.m. MST Friday. The next home dual will start
at noon March 18 against 15th-ranked SCAD Atlanta at XULA Tennis Center.