NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Xavier University of Louisiana's Angela Charles-Alfred and Lailaa Bashir finally suffered their first loss as a women's doubles team, falling 6-2, 6-4 to Tennessee's fourth-seeded Tenika McGiffin and Kaitlin Staines Wednesday in the opening round of the Oracle Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Fall Championships.
     Charles-Alfred, a junior, and Bashir, a freshman, entered this event with a 12-0 record this fall and four doubles championships, including the NAIA and small-college titles at the ITA Cup in October.
     "We had many chances but didn't capitalize on them," 17th-year XULA head coach Alan Green said. "Tennessee's women were very smart and did not beat themselves. We're disappointed about the loss, but we know we belong here."
     The XULA team will play a consolation match at 3:30 p.m. PST Thursday against UCLA's Abi Altick and Taylor Johnson. If Charles-Alfred and Bashir win, they'll advance in that bracket.