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| NOUR ABBES 28-0 CAREER XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA |
Abbes -- the first from Xavier to reach the title round of this tournament -- will play Oklahoma Baptist's third-seeded Anastasiya Baranova for the championship at 8:30 a.m. EDT Saturday.
A sophomore from Tunis, Tunisia, Abbes won in 55 minutes by the same score she produced in Thursday's quarterfinals. Abbes is 28-0 in singles at Xavier, 11-0 this season.
"I started off aggressive, and that's where I was most efficient," Abbes said. "I tried to impose my game and stay focused throughout the match, and it worked."
"Rodriguez was a fighter," XU coach Alan Green said, "but Nour would just not let her into the match."
The final will be a rematch of the No. 2 (Abbes) and No. 4 players in the 2013-14 ITA NAIA postseason singles rankings. Baranova led Abbes 6-4, 3-4 on April 25 in the semifinals of the NAIA Unaffiliated Group 2 Tournament in New Orleans -- that match was halted by rule after the Gold Nuggets clinched a 5-1 dual-match victory.
Baranova is one of four singles opponents in 30 XU matches to win a set against Abbes. Since playing the OBU junior, Abbes has won 29 consecutive sets.
"Physically, I feel ready because it wasn't a very long match and it wasn't very hot weather," Abbes said. "I'm feeling good."
Baranova won her semifinal when Georgia Gwinnett's second-seeded Valeria Podda retired because of injury with Baranova leading 6-4, 4-1. Podda was the runner-up to Abbes at the NAIA South Regional in New Orleans in September.
Read more about Abbes and why she came to Xavier HERE
Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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