Results
Tournament scores
MOBILE, Ala. —
McKenna Wheatley,
Valentina Largacha and
Kareemah Muhammad won in singles Wednesday morning,
and Xavier University of Louisiana tied the school record for women's tennis
season victories in a 4-0 decision against Westcliff in the second round of NAIA nationals.
The Gold Nuggets, ranked fourth in the coaches poll
and seeded third at this tournament, are 22-6. XULA also won 22
during the 2004-05 season. The Nuggets can break the record with
a quarterfinal victory against Southeastern (Fla.);
start time will be 11 a.m. CDT Thursday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center (851 Gaillard Drive, zip code 36608,
phone 251-208-5181). Admission is free for every round.
(NOTE: Start time was pushed back because of
rain that suspended all men's round-of-16 matches.)
Largacha and
Mbali Langa clinched the doubles point
on the first court with their 6-2 victory against Marielena Muench and Lilian Burth.
Wheatley made it 2-0 when she defeated Neele Marie Menssen 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6 singles.
Largacha gave XULA a 3-0 lead when she
beat Burth 6-2, 6-2 on the fifth court, and Muhammad clinched by beating Muench —
No. 20 in the ITA NAIA rankings — 6-3, 6-1 on the first court. Muhammad is ranked 11th.
Muhammad and
Valaine Clarke produced XULA's
other doubles victory, 6-1 against Menssen and Emilse Ruiz on the second court.
XULA clinched in an hour and 59 minutes
and snapped the 14-match win streak of the Warriors (14-4), who were ranked 21st and seeded 19th.
Half of the Gold Nuggets' victories this season are against ranked teams.
The quarterfinal appearance will be the Gold
Nuggets' eighth all time and their fifth in a row.
Southeastern, ranked sixth and seeded
sixth, advanced by beating Cumberlands (Ky.) 4-1.
