NEW ORLEANS - A nationally-ranked Xavier program defeated the New Orleans men's tennis team 4-3 on Wednesday afternoon at the University Tennis Center.
The victory for the NAIA's No. 8 ranked XULA (8-5) was their second in two years against UNO (6-6).
Playing shorthanded, the Gold Rush had limited margin for error. The visiting crosstown rival of the Privateers needed to claim both contested doubles' matches to take the doubles' point in addition to 3 of 5 singles' matches scheduled to take place in order to post a dual victory.
XULA did just that, winning at both the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles' positions by 8-5 score to claim the doubles' point.
In singles' play, UNO quickly moved ahead 2-1 in the match by virtue of a walkover victory on the No. 6 court and a 6-2, 6-2 win by
David Malmgren at the No. 5 position.
The Gold Rush tied the match 2-2 before
Abdelrahman Zaki posted a 6-4, 6-2 result at the No. 3 court to give the Privateers a 3-2 advantage.
XULA closed the dual by winning the final three courts with a 7-6, 6-4 win by Nikita Soifer over
Ricardo Campos at the No. 2 position clinching the match for the NAIA squad.
UNO's best chance for a victory came at the No. 4 position where
Hossam Meligy won the first set and rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the second set to seize a match point opportunity before ultimately falling 3-6, 7-6 (6), 6-2 to Viktor Svoboda.
The road only gets tougher for the Privateers, who will face Incarnate Word on Sunday at 11 a.m. in Edinburg, Texas before Southland Conference matches against Texas-Pan American and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday and Wednesday, respectively.
Xavier 4, New Orleans 3
3/20/2013 at New Orleans, La. (University Tennis Ctr)
Singles competition
1. Loic Didavi (XU) def.
Rui Silva (UNO) 6-1, 6-1
2. Nikita Soifer (XU) def.
Ricardo Campos (UNO) 7-6, 6-4
3.
Abdelrahman Zaki (UNO) def. Kyle Montrel (XU) 6-4, 6-2
4. Viktor Svoboda (XU) def.
Hossam Meligy (UNO) 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
5.
David Malmgren (UNO) def. Benjamin Brading (XU) 6-2, 6-2
6.
Dominik Kardell (UNO) def. No player (XU), by walkover
Doubles competition
1. Loic Didavi/Kyle Montrel (XU) def.
Vinay Kamineni/
Ricardo Campos (UNO) 8-5
2. Nikita Soifer/Viktor Svoboda (XU) def.
Abdelrahman Zaki/
Hossam Meligy (UNO) 8-5
3.
Guillermo Aylon/
David Malmgren (UNO) def. No player/No player (XU), by walkover
