HAMMOND, La. — Xavier University of Louisiana won 8-of-13 matches Saturday in its first women's tennis tournament of the fall, the Green and Gold Invitational.
     The Gold Nuggets — an NAIA national semifinalist four of the last six seasons, including 2018 — defeated city rival Loyola 4-1 and NCAA Division I member Jackson State 4-1. XULA lost 5-0 to NCAA Division I Southeastern Louisiana.
     The event's modified duals — four singles matches and one doubles match — will count only for individual season statistics. Intercollegiate Tennis Association rules require dual matches to consist of six singles matches and three doubles matches.
     Against Loyola, Mariia Borodii, Charlene Goreau, and Farah Baklouti won singles matches, and Yi Chen Pao and Lacee Ancar won in doubles. The SLU dual was notable because Borodii suffered her first singles loss as a collegian — 9-8 (7-5) to freshman Flory Bierma. Borodii, a sophomore, was 15-0 last season.
     Against Jackson State the Nuggets got a doubles victory from Borodii and Ancar and singles victories from Goreau, Baklouti and Pao.
     The tournament will conclude Sunday. The Gold Nuggets will play LSU-Alexandria at 10 a.m.