LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Arguably, it was the finest performance in Santiago Perez's four seasons with Xavier University of Louisiana men's tennis.
        Perez, a three-time NAIA All-American, defeated Georgia Gwinnett's Matthias Haim — a first-team NAIA All-American and the most outstanding player of NAIA nationals in 2021 — 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Haim's home court on the final day of Grizzly Invitational #2.
        The Grizzlies, a seven-time defending NAIA team champion, won the dual 4-1 — their 157th consecutive dual-match victory; that streak started in April 2015. But Perez was unbeatable Sunday; he and Juan Ramirez led Valentino Caratini and Agustin Tamagnone 5-4 when Georgia Gwinnett clinched the doubles point on court three.
        Caratini and Tamagnone are No. 1 in the ITA NAIA doubles rankings.
        "Santi gutted out a tough singles match and played rock solid for us all weekend," 19th-year XULA head coach Alan Green said.
        XULA's women lost 4-0 to Georgia Gwinnett, which, like the Grizzlies' men, are No. 1 in the coaches poll and are a defending champion. Gwinnett won the last four NAIA women's titles.